#ZimShutDown: 4 journalists arrested, human rights lawyers deployed

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has deployed lawyers to several parts of the country as arrests of protesters demanding change mount.

Several journalists were arrested in Harare, said ZLHR in an alert on Wednesday afternoon, and they include senior freelancer, Godwin Mangudya, Alpha Media Holdings reporters, Elias Mambo and Richard Chidza, as well as their photographer, Tafadzwa Ufumeli.

They were “harassed and interrogated for covering a protest in the high-density suburb of Mufakose”.

“Police officers who detained the journalists at Marimba Police Station ordered them to delete some pictures of victims of police brutality, which they had captured,” added ZLHR.

ZLHR said it was offering legal services in Bulawayo, Zvishavane, Victoria Falls, Masvingo, Chipinge and Harare.

“In Bulawayo, ZLHR is offering emergency legal services to four people who have been arrested in the country’s second largest city.

“In Zvishavane in (the) Midlands province, ZLHR is assisting six people, who have been arrested for allegedly gathering in the defunct asbestos mining town,” noted ZLHR

The human non-profit legal services provider said it had sent lawyers to assist 16 people who were arrested in the resort town of Victoria Falls over a peaceful demonstration. Nehanda Radio