London – Amnesty International on Tuesday warned that the arrest of 25 opposition party members by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) signals an escalation of human rights abuses through the crackdown against freedom of association and assembly.
The rights body made the comments in response to weekend reports that the ZRP arrested 25 members of the popular Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC) and allegedly physically assaulted the lawyer who was representing them.
Flavia Mwangovya, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, said: “The arrest of members of a political opposition party simply for holding a meeting at a private residence is a shameless assault by Zimbabwean authorities against the rights to privacy, to liberty and security of persons and to freedom of expression”.
On Saturday, (14 January 2023), Zimbabwean police allegedly physically assaulted members of CCC and ultimately arrested 25 individuals while they were attending a private meeting in Budiriro, Harare.
Amos Chibaya and Costa Machingauta, both members of Parliament for Mkoba and Budiriro respectively, were among those arrested for gathering without police permission.
The activists were arrested by the ZRP for violating the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (MOPA) after they held an internal party meeting at Machingauta’s house in Budiriro.
CCC spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, who alleged that women detainees were touched inappropriately by the police, told reporters: “We all know that this was an internal meeting to which MOPA simply does not to, it was not open to members of the public and yet you see four police lorries storming the home of a private citizen, that is simply unconstitutional”.
Commenting on the ZRP action, Amnesty International’s deputy director for East and Southern Africa, said: “Their chilling message is unmistakable.
“It is clear that Zimbabwe authorities will go after anyone who dares oppose them in the upcoming elections.
Mwangovya added: “These 25 individuals must be released immediately and all charges against them must be dropped.
“Zimbabwe authorities must respect the right to freedom of assembly in the run-up to the election.”
Although no official declaration has been made, reports suggest elections will be held in April this year.
With no end in sight to the perennial problems of joblessness, poverty, police brutality, political intolerance, and a near-collapsed economy, the ruling Zanu PF has returned to its tried and tested method of winning elections through coercion.
For more than four decades the world watched helplessly as Zanu PF brutalised those opposed to it and in the process mindlessly ruined the economy but made sure it won the elections by any means necessary including rigging the elections.
“It is also disgraceful that the police tried to deny these 25 individuals their human right to have access to counsel by physically assaulting their lawyer as he tried to confer with his clients,” Mwangovya said.
“The lawyer should not have been attacked simply for discharging his function of defending his clients.
“Lawyers should not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions.”
The arrested CCC members have since appeared in court – some of them dressed in worn-out prison garb.
The weekend arrests come soon after a video of Zanu PF youths beating elderly villagers in Murewa for saying they support CCC led by Nelson Chamisa.
Zimbabwe has persuaded friendly neighbouring states that its economic and social problems were as a result of sanctions imposed by the West over the seizing of farms and subsequent rights abuses.
Burdened by an influx of Zimbabweans, many neighbouring countries have opted to join the chorus of those calling for the removal of sanctions, all the while more and more people are leaving Zimbabwe – they are not waiting around for an election they perceive has already been won by the losers.
