Press freedom watchdog calls for release of Zimbabwean journalist

Detention of NYT freelancer Jeffrey Moyo shows ‘Zimbabwe continues to violate the right to press freedom’, says CPJ.

A press freedom watchdog has called on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release a local journalist who was remanded in custody on accusations of violating the country’s immigration laws to facilitate a reporting trip by two foreign colleagues. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Friday the “baseless” charges against Jeffrey Moyo, a New York Times freelancer who has also worked for other international media outlets, including The Globe and Mail, should be dropped. Moyo, 37, was arrested on Wednesday in the capital, Harare. His lawyer, Doug Coltart, told the CPJ Moyo was charged with violating Section 36 of the Immigration Act for allegedly presenting false information to immigration officials to help two New York Times journalists enter the country.