An American journalist accused of publishing a false story went on trial yesterday in the first major test case under Zimbabwe's tough new media laws.
Andrew Meldrum - the Zimbabwe correspondent for the Guardian and an occasional contributor to The Irish Times - appeared before a magistrate and was charged with contravening a law that prohibits publication of false information.
The Harare courtroom was packed with journalists as Mr Meldrum (50), a native of Hudson, Ohio, pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces a heavy fine or up to two years in jail.
Mr Meldrum later said his trial was "not only about me but it is about this media law and also a trial about Zimbabwe's judiciary system.
"I have committed no crime and the attention will be on this law, which makes it a crime to commit factual errors," he said.
Mr Meldrum is accused of publishing a false story alleging that President Robert Mugabe's supporters beheaded a woman while her two young children watched.
Mr Meldrum, who has lived and worked in Zimbabwe for the last 21 years and now holds a permanent residency permit, is charged with two other journalists over the story, which was first published by Zimbabwe's privately owned Daily News.
The Daily News published an unverified story on April 23rd, citing a man calling himself Enos Tadyanemhandu, who claimed his wife Brandina had been beheaded by ruling ZANU-PF party militants because her husband was an opposition activist. The paper later said the story was false and apologised.
"We are going to contend that the accused did not publish any false information deliberately," Mr Meldrum's lawyer, Ms Beatrice Mtetwa, said.
The government says the false story was part of a Western-backed campaign to damage Mr Mugabe's image. But press freedom groups have demanded that the charges against Mr Meldrum be dropped, accusing the government of seeking to muzzle criticism of the president.
The hearing was adjourned yesterday after the state prosecutor said he was still waiting for state witnesses to arrive. - (Reuters)