Hopewell Chin’ono is an investigative reporter based in Zimbabwe. Through his freelancing and work with the BBC World Service, Chin’ono won various international awards including the 2008 CNN African Journalist of the Year Award and 2008 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Award.  

Since the recording this video, authorities arrested Chin’ono for contempt of court charges for publishing a tweet that, according to the Washington Post, “allegedly impaired the dignity of Zimbabwe’s Chief Justice Luke Malaba.” Authorities also arrested Chin’ono earlier this year for supposedly supporting anti-government protests for which he spent 45 days in prison. Chin’ono, despite his fame, is a frequent target of President Emmerson Mnangagwa due to his reporting on corruption and human rights abuses within the government.  

Research Assistant Tessa Knight and Chin’ono discussed his experience reporting in Zimbabwe, the dangers he faced, #ZimbabweanLivesMatter, and what journalists in other repressive regimes can do to fight back. Also his love for Bob Marley’s son’s coffee.

#DFRLabCoffeeBreak is a video series meant to discuss how disinformation and digital change affect industries, policy making, and society with a community of experts, academics, and leaders from around the world. 

The Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab (DFRLab) has operationalized the study of disinformation by exposing falsehoods and fake news, documenting human rights abuses, and building digital resilience worldwide.

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