The main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) in Zimbabwe has condemned what it called the “unlawful arrest” of #ThisFlag movement Pastor Evan Mawarire on Tuesday, saying “the man has no criminal case to answer.”
Mawarire was asked to hand himself over to police in the morning before being arrested and charged with allegedly inciting public violence after the huge success of last week’s #ZimShutDown protests and stayaway around the country.
In a statement the MDC-T said “Pastor Evan Mawarire has been consistently calling upon Zimbabweans to engage in peaceful and non-violent resistance to the excesses of the deeply divided, corrupt and collapsing Zanu PF regime.
“Indeed, it is the constitutional right of every citizen to be able to engage in peaceful and non-violent demonstrations as clearly enshrined in Section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe,” the opposition party led by former Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) should be a law-abiding and professional Police force that should jealously guard and protect the fundamental human rights and freedoms of all Zimbabweans in accordance with the supreme law of the land, the national constitution.
“To this extent, therefore, it is wholly uncalled for, and indeed draconian and primitive, for the ZRP to arrest Pastor Evan Mawarire for simply calling upon his fellow Zimbabweans to join him in a peaceful and non-violent stay away.”
In calling for Mawarire’s immediate release the MDC-T said President Mugabe’s regime “absolutely has no respect for the supreme law of the land. This is a regime that routinely and invariably violates the basic tenets of the Constitution, particularly when it comes to the respect and observance of fundamental human rights and freedoms.” Nehanda Radio
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