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Continued harassment of students in Zimbabwe condemned
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
May 10, 2006

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) notes with grave concern the continued harassment of students in Zimbabwe and the perpetual undermining of the right to peaceful assembly and association in Zimbabwe.

On Thursday 4 May 2006, members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) stormed a Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) General Council meeting and arrested 48 student leaders in Harare apparently over a missing portrait of President Mugabe during the conference at Management Training Bureau. The Police demanded that the students identify the ZINASU President Washington Katema. During the interrogation the police fired two times in the air to force the students to identify Washington Katema among themselves but they refused. The police officers detained the students overnight. The students were released without charge on Friday 5 May. On Thursday 4 May, 73 children ranging from age seven to eighteen, most of whom are students in primary and high schools of Bulawayo, were arrested when they took part in a march organised by the Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) calling for a reversal to crippling school fee increases of up to 1000%.

On 8 May 2006, heavily armed members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police stormed Bindura University and arrested 18 students who were peacefully demonstrating against the new fees structure approved for universities. The arrested students were brutally assaulted resulting in one female student sustaining a broken jaw. They were then taken to Bindura Central Police station where they were unlawfully detained. Another student from Bindura University was picked by the police on campus on Tuesday 9 May and detained, bringing to 19 the number of students in detention. Among the arrested was Mr Beloved Chiweshe the ZINASU Secretary General who was also brutally assaulted all over his body.

In light of the above ZLHR would like to express its concern over the criminal, wanton and blatant violation of human rights by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. ZLHR further condemns the use of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment as a weapon of control against defenseless human rights defenders in Zimbabwe and also notes with great concern the failure to respect the rights of even the minor children of Zimbabwe. ZLHR further reminds the government of Zimbabwe of its obligation to respect, protect and promote the rights of all citizens and safeguard human rights defenders. The Zimbabwe Constitution, African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights as well as numerous other international covenants we are party to note without exception the freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and protection from inhuman and degrading treatment as fundamental human rights necessary for the well-being of society living in dignity. As such, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights calls upon the government of Zimbabwe to henceforth;

• cease the arrest, and detention and victimization of human rights defenders under unscrupulous and frivolous charges
• to immediately cease the use of violence upon the students and thus play a role in fostering a culture of non-violence in Zimbabwe
• to promote and practice, tolerance and divergence in Zimbabwean society
• to acknowledge, appreciate and respect the rights of persons in Zimbabwe to express themselves in all matters that affect them and their freedom of assembly in doing so and thus immediately cease impeding these rights.

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