High Court judge Justice Terrence Chitapi granted bail to journalist Hopewell Chin’ono ending his 17 days detention at Chikurubi maximum prison.
In passing his judgement, Justice Chitapi said Harare Magistrate, Marehwanazvo Gofa had grossly misdirected herself in denying bail to Chin’ono.
Justice Chitapi ordered not to use his Twitter account to disseminate messages that undermine the country’s judiciary.
He was granted bail on the old conditions given when he was freed of his charge of inciting public violence.
Meanwhile, African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Access to Information in Africa, Commissioner Jamesina King had earlier written to President Emmerson Mnangagwa registering displeasure over the arrest and detention of Chin’ono.
Commissioner King told the 67th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR that she wrote the letter to President Mnangagwa on 15 October 2020.
“Journalists and other media practitioners play an important role … they provide the public with the necessary information to develop an opinion and make informed decisions,” Commissioner King said.
“However, despite their indispensable role in society, journalists are often targets of threats, intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest, detentions, and disappearances, in addition to physical attacks, which have sometimes resulted in murder.”
