Zimbabwean journalist Faith Zaba was arrested over a satirical column criticising President Mnangagwa, sparking press freedom concerns amid calls for her immediate release.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for the immediate release of Faith Zaba, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, following her arrest on 1 July over a satirical column criticising President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

Zaba was detained by authorities in Harare after publishing a hard-hitting opinion piece on 27 June in which she described Zimbabwe as a "mafia state". She now faces charges under Section 33 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, a controversial statute that criminalises "insulting or undermining the authority of the President".

Her arrest has drawn strong condemnation from press freedom organisations, opposition figures, and international human rights groups, who view the move as part of an escalating crackdown on dissent and media independence in the country.

According to her lawyer, Zaba was in poor health at the time of her arrest. She was reportedly taken into custody despite showing signs of serious illness, prompting a Harare magistrate to delay her bail hearing until 3 July to allow for a medical evaluation.

“This arrest is yet another sign of the government’s growing intolerance of critical journalism,” said Angela Quintal, CPJ’s Africa programme coordinator. “Criminalising satire and opinion pieces under outdated insult laws is wholly inconsistent with Zimbabwe’s constitutional commitment to freedom of expression.”

Zaba, a respected journalist with over two decades of experience, has frequently written about corruption, governance failures, and political repression in Zimbabwe. Her latest column, which painted a grim portrait of state capture and elite impunity, sparked wide debate on social media and among civil society groups.

The Zimbabwe chapter of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) also condemned the arrest, calling it “a clear attempt to intimidate journalists into silence”. In a statement, MISA Zimbabwe said the incident “reflects a disturbing trend where the state uses archaic and undemocratic laws to muzzle dissent and stifle investigative journalism”.

President Mnangagwa’s administration has faced mounting criticism over its human rights record and intolerance toward independent media. Despite promises of reform following the ousting of long-time ruler Robert Mugabe in 2017, rights groups say journalists, activists, and opposition members continue to be targeted through arbitrary arrests, harassment, and censorship.

Faith Zaba is currently being held in police custody pending her rescheduled bail hearing. Her legal team has expressed concern over her health and called on the authorities to release her on humanitarian grounds while proceedings continue.

As the international spotlight falls once again on Zimbabwe's media landscape, press freedom defenders warn that unless such cases are challenged, more journalists may face similar retribution simply for doing their jobs.

The outcome of Zaba’s bail hearing is expected later today.