His Excellency President Robert Mugabe
Office of the President
Causeway, Harare
Zimbabwe

Vienna, 15 January 1999

Your Excellency,

The International Press Institute (IPI); the global network of editors and media executives, strongly condemns the continuing detention of Mark Chavunduka, editor of the weekly Standard.

Chavunduka, 34 was arrested by military police officers in Harare on 12 January 1999 and is being detained at Cranborne military barracks in connection with an article which the independent Sunday paper published regarding an alleged coup attempt in December 1998 and the arrest of 23 soldiers, including seven officers. We understand that no charge has been lodged against Chavunduka, that he has been denied access to his lawyer and family, and that it is feared that he may be ill-treated or tortured while in custody.

IPI is informed that the army allegedly ignored an order issued by the high court on 14 January to release Chavunduka and that the Standard will seek a contempt of court order against the ministry of defence.

Defence Minister Moven Mahachi has denied the coup story and threatened stern action against the Standard for allegedly publishing lies. According to the Standard, military police visited the newspaper’s offices on 12 January demanding to see a second senior journalist on the paper, Ray Choto.

Mark Chavunduka’s arrest and detention violates Zimbabwe’s international legal obligations with regard to the right to freedom of expression under Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights. IPI therefore urges Your Excellency to ensure that he is released immediately and unconditionally.

We thank you for your attention.

Yours sincerely,

Johann P. Fritz
Director