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NYT journo arrested in Zim
04/04/2008 01:52 - (SA)
Susan Njanji
Harare - A New York Times correspondent who has been covering Zimbabwe's
elections was among two foreign journalists arrested on Thursday for
operating without accreditation, police and the newspaper said.
National police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said the pair had been
picked up in a raid on the York Lodge, an upmarket guest house near the
centre of the capital Harare, and were now being held in custody.
"I can only confirm that we have arrested two foreign journalists at
York Lodge," Bvudzijena told AFP.
"They are being investigated for practising without accreditation.
"They were picked up early this evening and taken to police custody."
Pulitzer prize winner arrested
New York Times executive editor Bill Keller confirmed its
correspondent Barry Bearak - who won a Pulitzer prize in 2002 for his
reporting in war-torn Afghanistan - had been detained, but did not know
where he was being held.
"We do not know where he is being held, or what, if any, charges
have been made against him," Keller said in a statement.
"We are making every effort to ascertain his status, to assure that
he is safe and being well treated, and to secure his prompt release."
There were no lights on or any sign of activity at the guest house
on Thursday evening, an AFP correspondent reported. The owners did not
answer the phone.
Foreign media barred
Zimbabwean authorities, which barred most foreign media from
covering last Saturday's general elections, warned a week ago they
would deal severely with journalists who sneaked into the country and
were caught operating illegally.
However, a number of news organisations have been
filing reports from correspondents operating under cover.
The situation is growing increasingly tense in the capital as
Zimbabweans await to see if President Robert Mugabe has been defeated
in his quest for a sixth term.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change claims its leader
Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential poll outright.
But there has still been no official word on the outcome five days
after the ballot. Earlier the election commission announced that
the MDC had won control of Parliament.
Press freedom group alarmed
A leading US press freedom group responded to news of the arrests by
calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release the
foreign journalists.
"We are alarmed by reports that foreign journalists have been
detained in Harare," Joel Simon, the executive director of the New
York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said in a statement.
"In light of the political situation, it is imperative that all
journalists, foreign and domestic, be allowed to work freely. "We call
on authorities to immediately release all journalists currently being
held," he added.
Zimbabwe has strict rules on media and no independent radio or
television stations are authorised to operate.
The country's only daily newspaper, the Herald, is controlled by the
government.
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