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Two employees arrested as police raid GALZ offices
Zimbabwe
Human Rights Association (ZimRights)
May 24, 2010
On Friday 21may
2010, the police raided the Gays and leabians Association of Zimbabwe
(GALZ) offices in Milton Park.
With a search
warrant, Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi, Detective Inspector
Chibvuma led a team of police officers to search for drugs and pornographic
material citing contravention of Section 157 (1) of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 and Section 32
(1) of the Censorship and entertainment Control Act Chapter 10:04.
Police are
said to have arrested two GALZ employees Ellen Chademana and Ignatious
Muhambi, who were detained at Harare Central Police Station on Friday.
Representing them are Dzimbabwe Chimdga and David Hofisi of Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). The charges have remained unclear
and the police are still holding them in custody. Efforts have been
made for the release of the two, following the request for proper
attention to Ms Chademana, who is said to be diabetic. On Saturday
22 May 2010 police refused to allow lawyers access to their clients.
ZimRights condemns
the attack of the police on GALZ offices and the arrest of the two
employees. Whilst there may be differences in attitude towards people
of different sexual orientation, they are entitled to their rights
as human beings. They have the right to live and lead the life they
please. Resenting them is no justification to attack them in any
way. Although the parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution
(COPAC) is reported to have declined their plea to have gays
and lesbian rights included in the constitution, they still have
rights and the law should not be discriminatory towards them. Meanwhile,
for the country to come up with a people driven constitution, they
must include the voices of those whose ideas the do not agree with,
including those gays and lesbians.
Visit the Zimbabwe
Human Rights Association (ZimRights) fact
sheet
Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.
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