Demonstrators marched through the streets of Harare on January 16 in protest against the detention of the editor of "The Standard" Mark Chavunduka at Cranborne barracks. Chavunduka was detained on January 12 1999 following a story his newspaper ran that 23 army officers had been arrested for their involvement in a coup plot against President Robert Mugabe.

According to reports, the Zimbabwean judiciary has engaged in a standoff with the military police, who have defied a Harare High Court order on January 14, to release Chavunduka. Justice George Smith ordered the defence force to refrain from harassing Chavunduka and from having contact with him after declaring that Chavunduka's detention was illegal. In responding to that, defence secretary Job Whabira said the judge cannot direct them and the military was not bound by the order to release Chavunduka. Also detained was Chavunduka's co-worker, Daniel Manyandure who refused to disclose his sources after reporting on the country's military involvement in the DRC and fatalities. He was later released after an hour of interrogation.

An application made by lawyers representing "The Standard" is due to be heard today in the Zimbabwe High Court forcing the defence ministry to produce Mark Chavunduka at court and to arrest Whabira and defence minister Moven Mahachi if they fail to release Chavunduka. Mahachi has lashed out at journalists working for the independent media, labelling them "corrupt liars" and "mercenaries" with "ulterior motives".

The South African National Editors' Forum on January 14 joined the Zimbabwean Union of Journalists in condemning the arrest. The Media Workers' Association of SA said journalists should be free to investigate any issues of concern to the public.