Zimbabwean Journalist Arrested for Conducting Community Interviews

Harare - A Zimbabwean journalist has been detained overnight facing charges under the country's cyber security law after interviewing residents who accused a local businessman of forcibly seizing a property, in a case that has drawn condemnation from media advocacy groups as an assault on press freedom.

Pellagiah Mupurwa, a reporter for online outlet, Zimbo Live, was arrested on Wednesday February 4, and held at Budiriro 2 police station in Harare, statements from media and journalists watchdogs, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) say.

She was taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital a day after, Thursday February 5, after experiencing a medical emergency, MISA said.

Mupurwa, represented by lawyer Dumisani Mthombeni, is charged under the Cyber and Data Protection Act with allegedly transmitting false data messages intended to cause harm.

The charges stem from her interviews with Budiriro residents who claimed businessman Steven Mutumhe, also known as Changamira, had taken a residential property from a Harare man.

Mutumhe, a Harare-based entrepreneur, has alleged the information is false and damaging to his reputation.

Recent online discussions and reports link him to property disputes in Harare suburbs, with some social media users describing him as a prominent figure in local real estate circles.  

Mupurwa submitted a statement to police on Thursday after being warned and cautioned, MISA said.

She was expected to appear in court on Friday.

The arrest has sparked outrage from media bodies, who argue it exemplifies the misuse of cyber laws to target reporters.

"In a sad turn of events, Zimbo Live journalist Pearlagia Mupurwa, who had been arrested and detained overnight at Budiriro 2 police station, was taken to Sally Mugabe Hospital in Harare on 5 February 2026 after experiencing a medical emergency," MISA said in a statement.

"Using criminal law, such as the Cyber and Data Protection Act, in a dispute over the accuracy of a media report has a chilling effect on journalism, as it effectively criminalises journalistic work in violation of Section 61 of the Constitution, which guarantees media freedom and freedom of expression," it added.

ZUJ echoed the concerns.

"ZUJ is saddened to learn of the arrest and detention of Zimbo Live journalist Pearlagia Mupurwa under the Cyber and Data Protection Act for allegedly 'transmitting false data,'" the union said, adding that "Interviewing communities and reporting their claims is a core media function, not a criminal offence. She was arrested following a report made by businessman Steven Mutumhe who alleges inaccuracies in Pearlagia's interview with community members."

The union said members of society who wield power and influence should not "weaponise the law to intimidate journalists, silence public interest reporting, and shield themselves from public scrutiny."

"Using criminal charges to resolve disputes over alleged defamation is a clear abuse of the law and a direct attack on media freedom, freedom of expression and the public’s right to know.

"The Cyber and Data Protection Act, in its current form, gags the media and violates constitutional rights.

"It must be urgently reviewed and aligned with democratic principles. Disputes over reputational harm belong in civil courts, not police cells," ZUJ said.

The Zimbabwe Online Content Creators (ZOCC) also condemned the case in a statement reported by online outlet 263Chat.

"The arrest was part of a 'troubling and dangerous pattern' in which laws are being used to target journalists for carrying out their work.

"The Cyber and Data Protection Act was introduced to protect citizens from genuine data abuse but is now increasingly being invoked to intimidate and criminalise legitimate reporting," the grouping added.

ZOCC noted that Mupurwa had made several attempts to obtain a response from Mutumhe to balance the story, but these were ignored or misrepresented.

"This is a clear infringement on press freedom and a direct assault on the Fourth Estate. Journalism is not a crime, it is a constitutional duty," ZOCC said.

The group warned that such actions "risk creating a climate of fear that discourages reporting on issues affecting ordinary citizens particularly where powerful interests are involved" and called on the government to ensure legislation is not used to harass the media.

The case adds to a series of arrests under the Cyber and Data Protection Act, enacted in 2021 to regulate data privacy and cyber security but criticized for its broad provisions on "false data messages."

Previous incidents include the 2025 detention of journalist Blessed Mhlanga for 72 days on charges of transmitting messages inciting violence, linked to interviews criticizing the government, as reported by Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).

Analysts and rights groups say the law has had a profound chilling effect on journalism in Zimbabwe, fostering self-censorship and deterring coverage of sensitive topics like corruption and human rights abuses.

"The Cyber and Data Protection Act, which was enacted in December 2021, has been used to intimidate and harass journalists for doing their work and threatens to curtail media freedom further," Amnesty International said in a 2023 report on attacks on journalists in East and Southern Africa.

CPJ's Africa program coordinator Angela Quintal has described the law as "draconian," noting it has been invoked against reporters for alleged violations since its inception, including the arrests of Wisdom Mdzungairi, Desmond Chingarande and Hope Chizuzu in 2022.

"Zimbabwean police must stop the abuse of the country’s cyber security laws to silence journalists," Quintal said.

MISA Zimbabwe, in a 2021 analysis of the Act, expressed concern that provisions on cyber security could criminalize digital activism and claw back rights to privacy, expression and access to information.  

A 2023 academic review in the African Journal on Privacy & Data Protection called the Act a "significant step" toward data protection but criticized its weaknesses, including a focus on cyber security over privacy that enables misuse against media.

Human Rights Watch, commenting on Mhlanga's case, said such detentions highlight threats to free expression and media freedom in Zimbabwe.

Advocacy groups like ZUJ and MISA argue the law should be reformed to align with democratic principles, directing defamation disputes to civil courts rather than criminal proceedings.

Zimbabwe government Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr. Jenfan Muswere, has on the other hand consistently defended the Act as a protective measure for national security, public trust in digital technologies and combating misuse of online platforms; while framing it within efforts to support media professionalism and constitutional freedoms.

Dr. Muswere said the Act is part of legislative strides to modernize the media environment, alongside reforms like the Freedom of Information Act, and emphasized that it contributes to "ensuring the safety and protection" in digital spaces without interfering with legitimate journalism. 

He has urged journalists and media practitioners to familiarize themselves with statutes such as the Cyber and Data Protection Act to ensure responsible reporting and proactive engagement.

Muswere also warned against "cyber rhetoric" and violations of the Act, stating that freedom of expression must not be used to spread falsehoods, undermine national interests, or abuse digital platforms, with those engaging in such acts facing the "full wrath of the law." 

The clash between Minister Muswere’s defense of the law, and the reality of Mupurwa’s detention highlights what advocacy groups describe as a 'troubling pattern' of criminalising journalism under the guise of data protection.