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Increased
attacks on human rights defenders in Zimbabwe worrisome
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
May 15, 2006
A Bindura Magistrate
has ruled that 16 Bindura University students arrested during the
disturbances at the university last week should remain in custody
until 26 May 2006. These students are accused of denouncing President
Robert Mugabe and the Higher Education Minister,Mr Mudenge. The
students were arrested following demonstrations at Bindura University
against the recent hikes in tuition fees. The Zimbabwe Lawyers for
Human Rights filed an urgent High Court Application to seek the
immediate release of the students. The application had been set
to be heard tomorrow but it is likely to be heard today as contacts
are being made with the AGs office to consider the case with urgency.
ZLHR is determined
to secure the immediate release of the students as some of these
students are supposed to write final exams late this week.
Ten more students
will appeal in court today
15 May 2006
facing the same charges as the 16 who were refused bail. The 10
are part of the 77 students arrested when an administration block
was burnt at the university last week. On Friday the police released
the bulk of them and left 15 in custody, of these 5 were released
on Saturday. The Students will be charged under Section 19(1) of
the Public Order
and Security Act (POSA)
In a separate
incident in Harare, three women vendors were arrested for campaigning
for the MDC in Budiriro Constituency of Harare on Saturday 13 May
and another woman was also arrested the following day for campaigning
for the MDC. The vendors were allegedly arrested by ZANU
(PF) supporters who were masquerading as police officers and they
took them to a house in Budiriro where they were tortured. The women
were released at the intervention of the MDC candidate for Budiriro
who alerted the police. After the police interverned, they again
detained the same women for unspecified reasons. The three women’s
names are; Judith Musungati, Spiwe Tambu and one popularly known
as Mai Douglas. The women were released on Sunday
14 May 2006 with
no formal charge against them although there are allegations made
by the police that these women vendors allegedly stoned the house
of a ZANU PF supporter.
In a similar
incident in the same constituency, the police arrested two men and
one woman who are known to be MDC activists in the area. No charge
has been preferred against them but they remain in police custody
and are likely to be taken to court tomorrow. In another incident,
about 17 other MDC supporters were arrested while singing in a pick
up truck yesterday and were still in custody by yesterday evening.
Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights is deeply concerned by the recent developments
in Zimbabwe where the government continues to violate and erode
human rights with impunity. This continued erosion of basic human
rights is nagatively affecting the work of human rights defenders
in Zimbabwe. The Constitution of Zimbabwe, African Charter on Human
and Peoples Rights as well as numerous other international covenants
to which the state is party note without exception the freedom of
expression, freedom of assembly and association and protection from
inhuman and degrading treatment as fundamental human rights necessary
for the well-being of society living in dignity.
Visit the ZLHR
fact sheet
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