Two journalists arrested over report about Mugabe’s health

HARARE — A lawyer in Zimbabwe says two journalists and a publishing executive have been arrested for an article reporting that the health of 93-year-old President Robert Mugabe is deteriorating.

Human rights lawyer Obey Shava said Friday that the article was published in Zimbabwe’s NewsDay newspaper. The story Thursday mentioned a “fresh health scare.”

Mugabe, who turned 93 last month, flew to Singapore on Wednesday for what his spokesman called a “scheduled medical review.”

Shava says reporter Richard Chidza, editor Wisdom Mudzungairi and executive Sifikile Thabete face a charge of insulting the president.

Shava works for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, a group that says it has represented nearly 200 people charged with the same crime. People convicted of insulting Mugabe can face jail time, though some cases have been thrown out. Associated Press