FREE BLESSED MHLANGA NOW

Today is fifty days since journalist Blessed Mhlanga was put in jail. He is not in jail because he did something wrong. He is in jail because he is a journalist. He was arrested for doing his work, which is to report the news. This is not justice. This is punishment.

Mhlanga is being held at Harare Remand Prison. This is one of the worst prisons in the country. It is overcrowded. It is dirty. It is full of sickness. People do not get enough food. The air inside the cells is bad. It is a place where no person should be kept, especially someone who has not been found guilty of any crime. It shows how far the government will go to break people who tell the truth.

He has asked the courts many times to be given bail. Bail means he can wait for trial outside prison. But the courts refused. In Zimbabwe, the law is now used to punish people before they are tried. That is what is happening to Mhlanga. He is being punished before he even goes to court. They want to use him as a warning to other journalists so they become afraid to speak.

This is not only about one man. It is about press freedom in the whole country. Many journalists are scared. They fear arrest. They fear being beaten. They fear ending up in the same situation as Mhlanga. But journalists are very important. They tell us what is really happening. They give people the truth. Without them, the country stays in darkness.

Zimbabwe has a bad record on human rights. Many people do not have basic freedoms. The government does not listen to the people. Elections are not fair. The economy keeps getting worse. Prices are high. Jobs are few. Life is very hard for almost everyone. People are tired. People feel trapped.

Since 1980, the country has been ruled by ZANU PF. This is the same party that led the war for independence, but now the party is known for corruption and abuse. Many people say Zimbabwe is no longer free. They say the leaders do whatever they want and do not care about the people who suffer.

The case of Blessed Mhlanga shows how bad things have become. It shows that the government is scared of the truth. They do not want journalists to expose what is wrong. They want to silence every voice that speaks out. But this is wrong. Journalists are not criminals. They are not enemies. They are people doing their job so the nation can know what is happening.

Mhlanga should not be in jail. He has not harmed anyone. He has not stolen anything. He has only written stories. But in Zimbabwe today, writing the truth can send you to prison.

The world must pay attention. Human rights groups should speak out. Other countries should ask questions. Zimbabwe must respect press freedom. Journalists must be allowed to work without fear.

Fifty days is too long for an innocent man. It is time to free Blessed Mhlanga. He belongs with his family, not behind bars. Journalism is not a crime. Truth is not a crime. Let the world not forget him. Let us all say it clearly: Free Blessed Mhlanga.