The editor of the weekly Zimbabwean Independent, Iden Wetherell, has been charged under a censorship law for publishing a picture of Amazon Indians playing soccer.
"There was nothing offensive about the picture from a reputable news agency of indigenous people in cultural attire. The police should occupy themselves more usefully," Wetherell said in a statement.
The picture, from the Reuters news agency, was published on May 17 and showed a member of Brazil's Yawalapiti tribe playing soccer after a dance ritual. His traditional dress left his backside exposed.
Wetherell said that under the Censorship Act, police were supposed to have written permission from the attorney general before prosecuting. He said they had not obtained such permission.
Zimbabwe's government has cracked down on independent and foreign journalists since President Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election in the March 9-11 poll.
He enacted a new media law only two days after being declared the winner of the election.
Since the law took effect on March 15, 11 journalists have been arrested - some of them more than once - and nine face prosecution on one or more charges, either under the media law or the censorship act.
AFP