POLICE yesterday intensified a crackdown on human rights activists and opposition politicians after arresting more than 10 individuals countrywide ahead of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit to be held in Harare in two weeks’ time.
This comes amid reports of torture of some of the arrested rights defenders and opposition activists.
Suspected State agents on Wednesday accosted four prominent activists Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Samuel Gwenzi and Vusumuzi Moyo at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, while en-route to a civil society conference in Victoria Falls.
Lawyer and director of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Roselyn Hanzi, on Thursday tweeted that “all the four were tortured, Robson Chere (severely), @cdegwenzi & Vusumuzi Moyo”.
In Mutasa, another rights defender was arrested and brutalised.
“It’s very sad that there are people moving around brutalising people using the name of the president. I am also a victim of this crackdown.
“I was brutalised and tortured in Mutasa on July 29 during a community engagement programme with women,” the rights defender claimed, along with pictures showing the extent of the injuries.
“I was tortured at the same time brutally assaulted by State security agents who claimed that I wanted to remove the government.
“I am currently also nursing serious injuries following 1 hour 45 minutes of intensive torture being beating with a tree log, sjamboks, booted feet and open palms.”
He said he had reported the matter to the police in Mutasa under RRB 5821873.
In Mutare yesterday, 11 residents were reportedly arrested at a house and charged with holding an unsanctioned meeting.
According to ZLHR, the 11 were accused by police of plotting to carry out “acts of public violence”.
“The onslaught against perceived dissent has been extended to Mutare, where 11 residents have been arrested for allegedly gathering at a house and plotting to carry out what ZRP called ‘acts of public violence’, meant to disturb the successful hosting of the Sadc summit,” the rights lawyers said in a statement.
Notables who were also arrested include clergyman Kevin Nyamakanga, who according to ZLHR was arrested at his residence in Harare for allegedly plotting to incite public violence during the Sadc summit.
Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume was also reportedly arrested last night in Harare, while Zimbabwe National Students Union leader Emmanuel Sitima was arrested and charged with missing a court appearance, which was reportedly scheduled for July 31.
Renowned opposition activist Job Sikhala posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle that Ngarivhume was picked by unknown people driving an unmarked vehicle.
“Jacob Ngarivhume, the president of Transform Zimbabwe, has just been picked at his house by unknown people in an unmarked Toyota Fortuner GD-6 vehicle,” Sikhala posted.
In Bulawayo, police on Thursday arrested pro-democracy campaigner and Nkulumane ward 22 councillor Bruce Moyo for allegedly staging an anti-government protest demanding an end to “one-party rule” and for denouncing the arrest of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Jameson Timba and 76 other Harare residents.
Over 100 activists are in custody after being arrested for alleged crimes relating to public unrest and protests in the past two months.
Kwekweza, Chere, Gwenzi and Moyo at RGM Airport were held “incommunicado” for more than eight hours before they were charged of disorderly conduct for allegedly participating in a demonstration in support of Timba and the 76 CCC activists, currently in prison.
Timba and the CCC activists were arrested in June this year on allegations of holding an unsanctioned meeting in Avondale, Harare.
In Kariba yesterday, 14 other CCC activists appeared before magistrate Tawanda Banda, who remanded them to August 8.
They were charged with participating in a gathering with intention to cause violence.
The activists spent the better part of the day at the court building as the magistrate only attended to their case well after 5pm.
The activists were arrested on Wednesday for protesting with placards demanding the release of Timba and others.
Lawyer Clara Phiri, of ZLHR, confirmed that her clients would be back in court next week when she will apply for bail.
“They were remanded in custody to August 8, 2024 and will apply for bail on the same day,” she said.
Meanwhile, Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo yesterday heard that State agents severely assaulted Chere and his colleagues during their arrest at RGM International Airport.
The civic society leaders were being represented by Jeremiah Bamu, Tinashe Chinopfukutwa and Charles Kwaramba.
The lawyers complained before the court that the arrest of the accused persons were akin to scenes of a horror movie.
Chinopfukutwa said when the plane was about to take off, a squad of five men came in and forced all accused persons to disembark without advising them why they were being arrested.
He said his clients were taken to a disused room, where they were severely assaulted by 12 men, who are believed to be State agents.
Chinopfukutwa said the accused persons were tortured and only got access to their legal practitioners for briefing around 6pm after being detained for several hours.
Bamu raised complaints that his client’s mobile phones were forcibly confiscated.
He submitted that Kwekweza was kicked severely and forced to crawl, while Chere was assaulted heavily to the extent that he is not able to sit.
The accused persons were forced to chant Zanu PF slogans, the court heard.
Bamu said the suspected State agents were wearing caps inscribed “Zimbabwe Airport Companies”.
He said the accused were assaulted with iron bars and wooden logs.
The court heard that Chere sustained visible injuries, with Bamu submitting that State agents further threatened to rape Chere’s wife and kill her.
Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje told the court that the State would institute investigations into the complaints.
According to court papers, on June 26 at Harare Magistrates Court, the accused persons chanted CCC slogans after Timba and party members were denied bail.
The court heard that the accused persons were ordered to disperse by the police, but resisted.