AN independent media monitoring group says police arrested three of its officials following a civic education meeting held in Gwanda that police called an illegal political gathering.

In a statement Monday, the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe (MMPZ) said advocacy officers Gilbert Mabusa, Fadzai December and Molly Chimhamda held a meeting in the town early last month that police now alleged had not been approved under the country’s sweeping security laws.

“(The three officers) are being charged under POSA for failing to give notice of the meeting despite the fact that the meeting was convened by the membership of MMPZ’s Public Information Rights Forum Committee for Gwanda and was therefore not a public meeting as contemplated under POSA,” the organisation said.

“MMPZ calls upon the police to release Gilbert, Fadzai and Molly from custody forthwith as their attendance at court can be secured by way of summons.

The group said that during the meeting its officials met with its local members and distributed information calling for fair and balanced reporting on elections proposed next year.

In a new media crackdown, four independent journalists have been arrested in the past two weeks for alleged criminal defamation of loyalists of President Robert Mugabe.