ZANU PF thugs representing former information minister Nathan Shamuyarira have terrorised four Spanish journalists visiting a white-owned farm under siege.

And police raided Zimbabwe‘s weekly newspaper, The Independent, on Saturday as a conference was under way to discuss a new way for Zimbabwe‘s media.

Jose Antonio Guardiola and three colleagues from TVE visited Ben Freeth’s beleaguered farm at the weekend.

The journalists were freed after Spanish diplomats protested to the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Chief Inspector Manyika, of Chegutu police station, went to rescue the journalists from Freeth’s farm, which has been overrun by Shamuyarira’s men.

“I can’t comment,” said Manyika.

He has refused to arrest any of those on Freeth’s farm despite numerous court orders ruling that Freeth be allowed to stay and work the land undisturbed.

Dumisani Muleya, assistant editor of The Independent, said police from Harare Central’s notorious Law and Order Department visited the newspaper’s offices on Saturday looking for editor Vincent Kahiya and news editor Constantine Chimakure.

The Independent ran a report recently quoting from a state indictment against 18 human rights and Movement for Democratic Change activists who were abducted and charged with plotting to oust President Robert Mugabe.

Dumisani said: “This is reprehensible, outrageous, and signifies the continued repression of the media, when police want to arrest journalists over documents in the public domain.

“It is also ironic that this should take place during a media conference.”

MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa condemned the “intimidation” of media in Zimbabwe.

“We need a free media to bolster efforts to steer Zimbabwe towards democracy. This doesn’t help… We want a vibrant, responsible media.”

(Source)