The Zimbabwe National Editors' Forum (ZINEF) is deeply concerned about the arrest of Zimbabwe Independent editor Faith Zaba yesterday and her detention overnight.
We strongly condemn this reprehensible, objectionable and repressive action by government and authorities who continue with their siege on media.
Several journalists have been harassed, intimidated and arrested in recent months.
Zaba's colleague Blessed Mhlanga was released in May after 73 days in detention.
Prior to that and well before in 2020, another senior journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was detained for 44 days.
In some of these cases, long pretrial detention has been used to unjustly punish those targeted.
The current arrest of journalists is part of a wider political crackdown on dissent, particularly on media which writes what those in power deem and find unpalatable and disagreeable.
Zaba's arrest for a satirical column in her newspaper last Friday raises serious concerns about freedom of expression and press freedom in Zimbabwe.
Satire is a legitimate form of commentary and critique, and journalists should be able to exercise their creative freedom without fear of persecution.
Authorities should respect and protect the rights of journalists guaranteed in the constitution to report and express themselves freely through factual, impartial and independent coverage of issues that matter to the public.
When journalists are even arrested for satirical columns and quotidian or mundane criticism of those in power, it raises serious questions about press freedom, the rule of law and governance, in this case under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration.
It becomes clear to all and sundry that media is under renewed attack.
Satire, which is a valuable tool for holding power to account and promoting public discourse, is not a crime.
It has long been a legitimate form of political expression for centuries.
Satirical journalism or writing - muckraking after which the column in question is named - is part of free speech or freedom of expression, thus can't be criminalised without understanding fundamental liberties.
Besides, Zaba is not well and so detaining her in this chilly winter weather on such flimsy charges is evidently insensitive, callous and needless.
We have long said this and we shall say it again: these sort of repressive actions don't help anyone at all: They don't help the President, his government or the people, let alone journalists.
Instead, this only further damages government's reputation.
Such actions clearly have a chilling effect on the media; undermining the ability of journalists to report freely, critically and hold those in power accountable.
It's essential for authorities to respect and protect the rights of journalists guaranteed by the constitution and the law to ensure free, independent and informative reporting in the public interest.

ZINEF CHAIRPERSON DUMISANI MULEYA