Pregnant woman arrested during protests

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Police and State security agents forcefully took away a pregnant woman in indiscriminate arrests last Friday during pro-electoral reform protests in Harare, according to a human rights watchdog.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) located her at Harare Central police station after a search for victims of police persecution.

Some 18 political parties combined on Friday in a march to press for electoral reforms but tempers flared when police descended heavily on the demonstrators despite an order by the High Court for them not to stop the protest.

The march turned violent as the police, who were reinforced by an army deployment, were involved in running battles with protesters.

During the unrest, security forces forcefully took away vendors, passersby and protesters.

Unidentified plainclothes agents also raided the home of Kerina Dewah, 61, the MDC-T vice chair for Harare province, and took her away.

The watchdog said it was still trying to establish her whereabouts.

In a statement ZLHR said it endured a busy day searching for citizens who had been snatched away by plainclothes and uniformed details, among them the pregnant woman.

“Human rights lawyers…endured a hectic day as they mounted searches for several political and human rights activists, who were reported missing after they were picked up by some state security agents and police officers in a retributive exercise following the suppression of anti-government protests.

“ZLHR lawyers…discovered that Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers had rounded up several political and human rights activists including a pregnant women,” at Harare Central police station, according to ZLHR.

ZLHR deployed its members to numerous police stations in Harare in search of human rights campaigner, Gift Ostallos Siziba, who is also the public relations officer at Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ).

Siziba, who ZLHR later found at Harare Central police station, was reportedly abducted on Thursday and taken away in a private sedan.

The human rights lawyers group announced the disappearance of freelance photojournalist, James Jemwa and said they were still trying to locate him.

Meanwhile, Harare magistrate, Tendai Mahwe on Friday postponed to Monday, hearing of the matter involving 13 men who were arrested on Thursday and charged with committing public violence during a protest against police brutality last Wednesday.

Another magistrate, Vakayi Chikwekwe, sent 70 protesters to remand prison on Saturday for allegedly committing public violence.

Prosecutors alleged that the accused persons on Friday gathered at an open space between Rainbow Towers and the Interpol offices adjacent to the Harare Magistrates Court and convened a public meeting during which they conspired to cause “sporadic public violence.”

The State is arguing that the protesters assaulted police officers, burnt down vendors’ stalls and stoned two vehicles belonging to the law enforcement agency and others owned by private citizens.

Two of the accused persons aged 68 and three are juveniles who were, however released into their guardians’ custody.

Zanu PF legislators have frustrated a motion moved by MDC-T co-vice president and Kuwadzana East member of parliament, Nelson Chamisa, to debate recent police brutality, which has also been condemned by western embassies, political parties, a ruling party cabinet minister, Jonathan Moyo, and war veterans. Nehanda Radio