The Campaign for Free Expression (CFE) strongly condemns the recent arrest and harassment of journalist and publisher Matthew Takaona by Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO).

What happened?
On Tuesday June 3, Takaona and a group of parents were lawfully cutting grass outside Mushayavanhu Primary School using simple tools—sickles and slashers— as part of a community initiative to improve road visibility and enhance child safety. Instead of a police intervention, a CIO-led team of five agents detained him, citing
no formal charges.