Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), in a letter to Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe has expressed concern over the assault and detention of a freelance journalist Philemon Jambaya on October 29.

PPF Secretary General Owais Aslam Ali condemned the continued attacks on journalists and called on the authorities to immediately hold those officers involved in assaulting and detaining Philemon Jambaya. PPF also urged to provide security to the journalists and media workers in the line of duty.

According to Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers arrested Jambaya during a police operation jointly conducted by ZRP and Harare municipality in Harare’s Copacabana area. During the operation vendors working in the area were also arrested.

Officers accused Jambaya of being a phone dealer and taking pictures of the operation. The officers also beaten journalist despite showing his passport and press card. Police detained Jambaya and moved him to Harare Central Police Station. Later in the evening he was released after intervention of MISA Zimbabwe lawyer Christopher Mhike. Jambaya will lodge a complaint after receiving medical treatment.

MISA further added that, in the past two months, Jambaya is the seventh journalist to be the victims of harassment, assault and detention.