Ubuntu Times journalist who was arrested Wednesday on allegations of contravening the country’s immigration laws and allegedly facilitating the accreditation of two foreign journalists without due procedure is being kept under inhumane conditions, his lawyer has said.
Mr. Jeffrey Moyo, 37, is alleged to have misrepresented in the facilitation of accreditation for New York Times journalists Christina Goldbaum and João Silva who arrived in the country on May 5 but were later deported. Mr. Moyo appeared in a Bulawayo court for bail application on May 28 but was remanded in custody for ruling set for Monday, May 31.
His lawyer Mr. Douglas Coltart said the State in its submissions raised numerous grounds in their opposition to Moyo’s freedom saying the “issue is a national security threat.”
Mr. Coltart said the grounds of the State’s opposition to his client’s freedom are not based in law but “it appears to demonstrate the politicization of this case and interference of the Information Ministry in the functioning of an independent commission.”
He said Mr. Moyo is “mentally strong.”
“Jeff is doing good but the conditions of his detention are absolutely horrific and inhumane. When he was detained at Bulawayo Central police station, they took away some of his warm clothes and was sleeping on the floor, and yet we are in winter but nevertheless, he is mentally strong,” said Coltart.
The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) president Mr. Michael Chideme said his union is “following court proceedings and will offer a statement after speaking to Mr. Moyo.” The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe Chapter director Mr. Thabani Moyo said they are “trying to understand the matter.”
Spokesperson of the Young Journalists Association (YOJA) Mr. Leopold Munhende said as young media practitioners operating in Zimbabwe they “are really worried about Jeff Moyo at the present moment.”
“We are viewing this as an attack on the media. It has been happening over the years, it is not new of course. We now hear they took some of his clothes in this winter. The lawyers are being clear he did nothing. They are saying it is not his responsibility to accredit journalists but that of the ZMC.
Mr. Munhende said as young journalists they “fear that one day this could happen to us if the state wants.”