Jestina Mukoko
The re-arrests of political and human rights activists has sparked fury among civil society in Zimbabwe. 18 activists who have already experienced untold suffering at the hands of state agents were placed back in the custody of the police on Tuesday. They had been formally charged with terrorism the day before.

Journalists from the private media have now decided to take some form of action as a sign of protest. It's reported that in an unprecedented move Zimbabwe's embattled journalists took to the city streets in Harare Tuesday to protest the re-arrests of Jestina Mukoko and her 17 co-accused, including photo-journalist Shadreck Manyere. In a display of solidarity for Manyere, the group marched through the city streets, singing songs, and chanting slogans for Manyere's release. The journalists also boycotted a press conference held by Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara on Tuesday afternoon.
Representatives of the Media Alliance of Zimbabwe (MAZ) also announced later on Tuesday that they will not be attending a four day Zimbabwe All Stakeholders Media Conference that opens Wednesday in Kariba.

MAZ is composed of:

• MISA-Zimbabwe Chapter
• Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe
• Zimbabwe National Editors Forum
• Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe
• African Community Publishing and Development Trust.

The group had recently criticised the government media stakeholders' conference saying it was littered with anti press freedom participants, ignored major stakeholders and had no clear agenda.
Announcing the decision to now boycott the event, the media group said in a statement: This decision was made following the re-arrest and detention of human rights defenders, in particular Zimbabwe Peace Project director Ms. Jestina Mukoko and freelance journalist Mr. Andrisson Manyere, on charges that can only be considered political.  It is MAZ's view that their re-detention represents an apparent abuse of the judicial process which undermines the spirit and letter of the Global Political Agreement, especially as regards the restoration of a political environment that is democratic and respectful of the rule of law, as well as cognisant of the urgency of ensuring the security and freedom of human rights defenders and citizens in general.
It is in this context that MAZ considers it impossible to participate at the government All Stakeholders Media Conference when human rights defenders and journalists such as Ms. Mukoko and Mr. Manyere, who are presumed innocent until proven guilty, continue to be targets of repression.
The harassment of media practitioners continued in Zimbabwe as the world celebrated World Press Freedom on May 3. US President Barack Obama condemned the jailing and active harassment of journalists in Zimbabwe, and other countries. He said: In every corner of the globe, there are journalists in jail or being actively harassed: from Azerbaijan to Zimbabwe, Burma to Uzbekistan, Cuba to Eritrea.
On Monday, the US embassy launched the World Press Freedom Day Lost Voices exhibition in Harare. The exhibition is a joint initiative of the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section and Zimbabwe's Media Monitoring Project, featuring reproductions from various publications printed since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980.
US Ambassador James McGee, Jameson Timba the Deputy Minister of Media, Information and Publicity, MMPZ board member and human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa and MMPZ director Andy Moyse, all spoke at the event.
The MMPZ called on the government to prioritize media reform ahead of the constitution making process.  Mtetwa said: We cannot embark on a constitution making process before the media is reformed because you need a free media to reach the people out there.
Ambassador McGee urged authorities to lift restrictions on the media to promote the free flow of information. He said: Zimbabwe stands at the door of incredible opportunity. The world is watching to see if the country will open the door with a new commitment to freedom of expression, freedom of speech and freedom of the press.
The world wants to know, I want to know and most importantly, Zimbabweans have the right to know, said McGee. - SW Radio Africa News