Newspaper editors released on bail

Zimbabwe Independent editors, Vincent Kahiya and Constantine Chimakure, were
released on US$200 bail after appearing in court on Tuesday, a day after
they were arrested for publishing a story that quoted from a court document.
They are facing charges of publishing or communicating a statement 'wholly
or with the intention of undermining public confidence in law enforcement
agents.'

The newspaper published a story last week entitled: CIO, police role in
activists' abduction revealed, which named some police officers and Central
Intelligence officials who were allegedly involved in the abduction of MDC
and rights activists last year. They reported that these names had been
revealed following the formal notices of indictment for trial of some of the
activists this past week. The court documents also revealed that the
activists were either in the custody of the CIO or police during the period
they were reported missing.

However the police claim the law enforcement agents named by the newspaper
were in actual fact summoned as witnesses by the State.

Magistrate Catherine Chimhanda remanded the editors to 28th May and ordered
them to report once a week to the Police Law and Order Section in Harare.