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Alert

Disciplinary committee orders editor's reinstatement

(RSF/IFEX) - The independent weekly newspaper "The Standard" reported on 20 December 2008 that the disciplinary committee of the government-owned press group Zimpapers cleared Bhekinkosi Ncube, the editor of one of its magazines, "Umthunywa," of all charges and ordered his reinstatement.

Chaired by lawyer Sindiso Mazibisa, the head of the Zimpapers board's human resources committee, the disciplinary committee also ordered that he should paid all salary and benefits due to him from the time of his suspension, on 16 September. The committee issued its ruling on 18 November, but according to "The Standard," Ncube has still not returned to work for fear of government reprisals.

Ncube was suspended after being accused of sending a message from his private email address insulting President Robert Mugabe. The emails of all of the Zimpapers group's editors were reportedly placed under surveillance from 3 to 15 August in order to evaluate their loyalty to the ruling party - a move condemned by Reporters Without Borders in a press release.

Updates the Ncube case: http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/97777