A Zimbabwean High Court has acquitted prominent journalist Faith Zaba after she spent nearly a year facing trial over a satirical article that criticised President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
Zaba, who is the editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, was arrested in July 2025 after publishing an article titled “When You Become a Mafia State” in the newspaper’s satirical section.
Prosecutors had accused her of undermining the president’s authority, claiming the article was intended to encourage hostility against the 83-year-old leader.
The High Court in Harare dismissed the charges, according to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), which represented the journalist.
The rights group said the ruling was a major victory for press freedom and individual rights, adding that authorities had exceeded the limits of the law.
Zaba said the decision ended a difficult legal battle that included detention at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison and several court appearances.
She thanked supporters who stood by her throughout the case.
Meanwhile, rights organisations and opposition groups have accused President Mnangagwa’s government of using criminal laws to suppress criticism, an allegation the government denies.
Another journalist, Blessed Mhlanga, was also arrested over allegations of encouraging violence after interviewing a government critic who called for Mnangagwa’s resignation.
Mnangagwa became president in 2017 after the military removed longtime leader Robert Mugabe. He won elections in 2018 and 2023.
Critics have accused his allies of attempting to extend his rule beyond 2028, while a proposed constitutional amendment has raised further debate in the country.
Zimbabwe is currently ranked 124th out of 180 countries in the latest World Press Freedom Index.
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