Barry Bearak starts fifth day behind bars

New York Times reporter Barry Bearak and the un-named British journalist being held in Zimbabwe since last Thursday are now into their fifth day behind bars. They are being held even though Zimbabwe’s Attorney General said at the weekend that there was no case against them. According to lawyers no-one wants to hear the case,

“It appears really that nobody wants to hear this case,” lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa told reporters, adding that the morale of the prisoners was dropping “lower and lower.” “The duty judge is not there and the judge president is not there to allocate the case. We hope a judge will be allocated and be able to hear the case.” “We don’t know precisely what charges they are facing. The charges were changed from the initial media law breach to one of observing elections without accreditation.” link

UPDATE: The Zimbabwe Guardian reports the two journalists have been released on bail of 300 million Zimbabwean dollars bail (US$10,000) but will still have to appear in court.
UPDATE: The British national has now been named as Stephen Bevan, a freelance journalist with the Sunday Telegraph.
UDPATE: The trial of the two journalists and two South African media workers is due to begin today (14 April)