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Rights activist brutally assaulted & rights lawyer harassed, arrested by police
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition
April 23, 2004

Crisis Coalition wishes to register disappointment at yesterday's savage attacks on human rights activist, Tinashe Chimedza and the arrest and harassment of Advocate Tonderai Bhatasara.

Chimedza was picked by riot police at Mount Pleasant Hall where he was due to address a Students Solidarity Trust organized public meeting termed, 'Education For Rights". Advocate Bhatasara was arrested when he went to Marlborough Police Station to facilitate Chimedza's release. He was later released after hours of interrogation.

The attack on Advocate Bhatasara is one in a series of attacks on lawyers by police. We call upon the Ministers of Home Affairs, Justice and the Presidency to act against this unconstitutional behavior. This is part of what smears Zimbabwe's image in the international community.

Crisis Coalition expresses its utter dismay at the brutal manner in which members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police continue to deal with members of the public particularly human rights defenders. The Coalition is perturbed by the high handedness with which peaceful public meetings are dispersed. This is reminiscent of conduct of Rhodesian forces in the 60s and 70s.Conduct of this nature amounts to a reversal of the gains of independence and an insult to the memory of freedom fighters that gave their lives for liberty.

The attack on Advocate Bhatasara and Chimedza come barely a few months after hundreds of demonstrators demanding a new constitution were subjected to similar treatment and had police dogs set on them. We call upon the law enforcement agents to exercise their duties in an open, transparent and professional manner, in accordance with the Constitution and the Police Act.

The resurgence of police brutality is related to repressive, colonial-type legislation like POSA and AIPPA in particular, which curtail people's rights of freedom of assembly and expression. We challenge the police to adhere to the Police Service Charter, which calls for professional conduct on their part.

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