New York Times freelancer pleads not guilty to ‘smuggling’ journalists into Zimbabwe

A contract journalist has pleaded not responsible for smuggling two different journalist into Zimbabwe.

• A New York Occasions freelancer in Zimbabwe, Jeffrey Moyo, has pleaded not responsible.
• His co-accused will go on trial individually.
• CPJ says prosecutors are utilizing Moyo for example to censor and intimidate the press in Zimbabwe.

New York Occasions freelance journalist Jeffrey Moyo, 37, entered a not responsible plea in a case the place he is accused of smuggling two different New York Occasions journalists into the nation final yr.

Moyo’s trial will get underway within the Bulawayo Justice of the Peace’s Court docket on Wednesday and he is being represented by human rights legal professionals Douglas Coltart and Beatrice Mtetwa.

On Tuesday, his legal professionals instructed the Justice of the Peace that they have been prepared for trial, and that additional delays could be a travesty to justice.

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“As we speak our consumer entered a not responsible plea and the trial begins tomorrow. We’re prepared and pay attention to the State’s case,” stated Coltart in a phone interview.

On 26 Could final yr, Moyo was arrested along with his co-accused, Zimbabwe Media Fee (ZMC) official Thabang Manhika, for allegedly processing faux accreditations for 2 New York Occasions reporters – Christina Goldbaum and João Silva – who flew into Bulawayo from Johannesburg. 

Manhika on Tuesday raised considerations in regards to the fees he was going through, a scenario that might have resulted in a delay within the trial.

Nevertheless, Moyo’s legal professionals utilized for separation, which was granted. 

Manhika will go to court docket individually on 24 January to face fees of offering faux accreditation. 

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Their case has drawn worldwide consideration, with the Committee to Shield Journalists (CPJ) saying it was “astounding” that Moyo was set to go on trial.

“It’s astounding that Zimbabwean prosecutors are pushing forward with tomorrow’s trial in opposition to journalist Jeffrey Moyo after the state’s about-face final June, when it withdrew its opposition to his bail request and acknowledged that its case was on ‘shaky floor’.

“CPJ once more urges prosecutors to lastly withdraw the fees in opposition to Moyo. Failing to take action would merely reinforce perceptions that the prosecutors are appearing in dangerous religion and are utilizing Moyo for example to censor and intimidate the press in Zimbabwe,” stated CPJ’s Africa Programme Coordinator Angela Quintal.

Zimbabwe was ranked at 130 out of 180 nations on the media freedom index in 2021, in comparison with its rating at 126 in 2020 by the Reporters With out Borders.

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