Zimbabwe is slowly but surely sliding back into political repression and into a climate of fear as politicians escalate reckless electioneering and belligerent propaganda.

In the process, the media and journalists are once again coming under siege. After a reprieve brought by the formation of the inclusive government last year in February, journalists are once more being targeted by President Robert Mugabe's agents of repression and thought police.

The journalists' offence used to justify their arrests is thought-crime (in this case thinking and writing politically incorrect news).

Mugabe's police this week arrested Standard reporter Nqobani Ndlovu over a story published last Sunday, saying police were scrapping exams to allow war veterans and retired officers loyal to Mugabe to return to the police force ahead of elections next year.

However, police denied the story. Police spokesman Oliver Mandipaka accused the Standard and the reporter of "criminal and irresponsible journalism of the highest order".

According to his lawyer Josphat Tshuma, Ndlovu was charged under Section 96 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly defaming Police Commissioner-General Augustine Chihuri and the entire police force.

Ndlovu presented himself at the Bulawayo central police station last week, accompanied by Tshuma, after police had wrongly arrested NewsDay Bulawayo bureau chief Dumisani Sibanda over the story.

The Standard and NewsDay are part of Alpha Media Holdings which is controlled by media mogul, Trevor Ncube, who also owns the Zimbabwe Independent and the Mail & Guardian, among other media assets.

Tshuma said Ndlovu was asked to reveal his sources but refused.

Two other journalists, Nkosana Dlamini and Andrison Manyere were also arrested while covering a public meeting.

The editor of Zimbabwe Independent, Constantine Chimakure was also pestered by police recently, over a story based on official government documents indicating Chihuri was opposed to some aspects of proposed electoral reforms. It was a clear case of harassment and intimidation.

Just in case police need a reminder: It's unethical for journalists to reveal their sources. Media rights organisations around the world condemned Ndlovu's incarceration, saying it was repressive and unnecessary.

"It is absurd in a democracy to use antiquated criminal defamation laws to prevent reporting on a public body such as the police," said New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists deputy director Robert Mahoney.

Local media groups also criticised the police for arresting Ndlovu and demanded his immediate release.

Zimbabwean journalists now fear the return of media tyranny. After all, this is a country in which journalists have not only been arrested and beaten up, but also tortured, leading to their deaths, and some, like Edward Chikomba, even killed.