Human Rights Watch Demands The Release Of Over 70 Detained Opposition Activists In Zimbabwe
Human Rights Watch has demanded the release of over 70 opposition activists, most of them young people, who have been held since June 16, 2024.
Idriss Ali Nassah, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch has accused Zimbabwe’s criminal justice system of repeatedly violating the rights of opposition members. Said Nassah:
Zimbabwe’s criminal justice system has time and again violated the rights of people aligned with the opposition.
Pretrial detention should be no longer than necessary, and no one should be unjustly detained for long and arbitrary periods.
The prolonged pretrial detention of political activists is just the latest example of the failure of President Mnangagwa’s government to promote, protect and respect basic human rights.
Concerned governments should be pressing the administration of President Mnangagwa to uphold the rule of law.
The opposition activists were arrested in Avondale, Harare, at the home of CCC interim leader Jameson Timba, while commemorating the Day of the African Child.
Those arrested face charges of participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence, breaches of peace or bigotry, and disorderly conduct.
The High Court upheld the decision on July 17, leaving the detainees languishing in prolonged pretrial detention at Harare’s Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
A magistrate court on June 27 denied them bail on the grounds that the detainees were likely to commit similar offences if released.
Lawyers for the detainees say since their arrest, the activists have been beaten and tortured and denied the rights to humane treatment, bail, medical care, and other basic rights.
Agency Gumbo, one of the detainees’ lawyers said that some of the detainees had suffered severe injuries from police beatings, and doctors had recommended that the injured be admitted to the hospital, but the courts refused to release them.
Among those detained is Maureen Dinha and her 1-year-old child, as well as Nicole Chabata, a teenager who is supposed to take final secondary school examinations in October.
Also in jail is Tambudzai Makororo, whose leg was fractured during the June 16 arrest. Makororo’s child died while she was in custody, but the authorities refused her permission to attend the funeral or to bury her son.
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