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Harassment of Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
May 25, 2010

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) condemns in the strongest manner the arrest and continued detention of Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi, employees of the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) on charges of "possessing dangerous drugs and pornographic material."

On 21 May 2010, nine police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) entered the GALZ Offices with a Warrant to search for narcotics and pornographic material. The said officers then proceeded to ransack the office and in the process arrested Ellen Chademana (the receptionist) and Ignatius Muhambi (the accountant) who were performing their lawful duties. They also confiscated office equipment including office records, banners and office computers. The officers also purport to have seized pornographic material from the premises, which they are holding as evidence in the case. It is unclear at the moment whether the attack on GALZ has any link to the recent decision in the Malawi Courts involving Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza or whether there is a correlation with recent sentiments expressed by Mr. Paul Mangwana, one of the Co- Chairs of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution-making process (COPAC). What is clear is that the actions by the police are unwarranted and are a further sign of the levels of intolerance that still exist in our society.

The Forum, therefore calls upon the ZRP to immediately release the two arrested GALZ employees and return the equipment seized from the GALZ office. The Forum further calls upon all civil society organisations to stand in support of GALZ as fellow comrades in the struggle for human rights, being mindful of the fact that such repression can easily happen to any organisation fighting impunity in this country.

Visit the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum fact sheet

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