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Police raid the house of the GALZ director
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
May 26, 2010

Subsequent to the arrest 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 the 21st May 2010, the police have gone further to search the house of Chesterfield Samba, the Director of GALZ. The raid took place this morning (26 May 2010) at 0600hrs. Five police officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police searched the house and confiscated Mr. Samba's birth certificate, passport photo, magazines and business cards. Mr. Samba was not present during the ordeal, but the family members there report that the police asked for his whereabouts and when he will return.

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) condemns this conduct by the police in the strongest terms. The conduct of the police is unwarranted and is testament of the levels of intolerance within the police force and our government. Further the Forum questions the independence of the police in executing what clearly are political instructions against the gay and lesbian community in Zimbabwe.

The Forum reiterates its calls to 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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