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Student leaders assaulted
Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU)
December 03, 2007

As the regime's efforts of frustrating the students body intensifies nationwide, five student leaders were, yesterday 02 December 2007, arrested and detained at Kwekwe Central Police Station. The students had gone to attend a Zinasu Leadership Training Workshop in Bulawayo and were nabbed by the police at a Road Block on their way back to Harare. The five who are Mehluli Dube former NUST Vice President, Zinasu General Councilor, Laswet Savadye President of Bindura University, Whitlow Mugwiji President of Great Zimbabwe University, Stephen Chisungo Vice President Catholic University and Gordon Mukarakati Catholic University President were arrested for wearing Union regalia (T-Shirts) with the face of the late Learnmore Judah Jongwe, a former Zinasu President, MDC Spokesperson and Kuwadzana Member of Parliament.

The student leaders were arrested at a roadblock 17km out of Kwekwe town. They were kept in the open cold by the roadside from 8:30pm to around 11:00pm when they were then taken to the police station and detained for the night .While in the hands of police, Mehluli Dube and Laswet Savadye were subjected to severe beatings by police officer who used clenched fists and baton sticks. Dube sustained a broken tooth in the process. The five students were accused of being agents of the opposition political party M.D.C who were being used to further a regime change agenda. After interrogations they were cautioned and released without charge in the rains around 4am today.

ZINASU condemns in the most vehement of terms the continued, unjustified victimisation of Student leaders.We further express shame at the government's reluctancy to respect and promote Human Rights and its failure to ensure that state security stops persecution of Human Rights Defenders.

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