Three civil society leaders arrested
STATEMENT – On Saturday 25 July, 2015, Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services officers teamed up with some Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers arrested three CSO leaders Mfundo Mlilo, CHRA director and Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) spokesperson, Nixon ‘Mao’ Nyikadzino, the CiZC programmes manager and Dirk Frey, the deputy chairperson of the Occupy Africa Unity Square.
The three were arrested while attending the bail hearing of CiZC Information Officer Edgar Gweshe and activists Charles Nyoni and Don Makuwaza who were arrested on Friday while visiting National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe activists who are detained at the Harare Remand Prison.
Civil Society in Zimbabwe condemns the sustained onslaught against civic society leaders which have culminated with the reprehensible and arbitrary ambush and arrest of civic society leaders and activists on charges of violating one of the country’s tough security laws.
At the time of their arrest, Mlilo, Nyikadzino, the prison and police officers alleged that the three had taken pictures and had led a “resistance” at Harare Remand Prison on Friday 24 July, 2015 where they allegedly led about 60 CSOs representatives and informal sector traders on a solidarity visit to some detained National Vendors Union Zimbabwe leaders and some traders.
Gweshe, Nyoni and Makuwaza, who were first arrested at Harare Remand Prison on Friday 24 July 2015 during a solidarity visit by leaders and representatives of CSOs to some detained informal sector traders and their union leaders were charged with contravening Section 5 (2) of the Protected Places and Areas Act Chapter 11:12 for allegedly failing to comply with a directive from an authorised officer regulating conduct and movement.
Civil Society is deeply concerned by the actions of the state through launching an unwarranted assault on civil society on cooked up charges of leading an unspecified “resistance” in a bid to close up the operating space.
Civil society condemns the unprofessional conduct of the ZPCS and the ZRP officers of firing gun shots in the presence of unarmed civilians who were visiting their relatives and colleagues.
It is quite clear that the arrest of the CSO leaders and activists is part of a calculated and sustained assault on CSO’s. These actions are meant to divert the attention of the Zimbabwean public from the agonising economic crisis and deteriorating living conditions which the government has failed to arrest.
Responsibility for the current crackdown lies squarely and fully on the government which has either been powerless to stop the attacks on CSOs, directly or indirectly involved in the coordination and implementation of the attacks, or simply unconcerned with the challenges faced by those outside their ivory towers.
Should further harm befall those within the civic society sector as a result of such ongoing and future attacks, it is this fascist government that we will hold responsible.
Civil Society demand and call upon;
1. The Government of Zimbabwe to immediately release the civil society leaders and activists.
2. The Government of Zimbabwe must desist from intimidating, harassing and interfering of legitimate operations of civil society in Zimbabwe.
3. The ZPCS and ZRP to exercise professionalism and carry out their duties in non-partisan manner with due diligence and stop harassing and intimidating human rights defenders.
4. The Government of Zimbabwe should create an enabling environment for CSOs in accordance with the Zimbabwean Constitution and the various regional and international norms which Zimbabwe has signed which protects fundamental rights of human rights defenders to exist and be protected by law, to organize associate and carry out peaceful and legitimate activities.
5. The Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) to condemn this act of repression and demand, from the current Chair, guarantees for Zimbabwean CSOs to operate freely.
