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ZCTU updates regarding Sept 13 protests
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
Last updated September 18, 2006

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September 19

Protest update 2.30PM

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) 1st Assistant Secretary General, Japhet Moyo was detained and interrogated for two hours at the Harare International Airport.

Moyo arrived in Zimbabwe at 12:30pm aboard a South African Airways flight and was confronted by supposedly members of the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) at the check in immigration point. He was accused of having organised the ZCTU protests and then going away out of the country to spread lies.

Moyo, who during the two hours of interrogation was not allowed to use his cellular phone also had his luggage rainsacked by the interogators. They did not confiscate anything.

Moyo was also ordered not to report his ordeal to anyone as the CIO informed him that it was just a routine security check.

The ZCTU also believes that Silas Kuvheya the General Secretary of the Zimbabwe Textiles Workers Union an affiliate of the ZCTU also went through the same ordeal. Kuvheya was supposed to be on the British Airways flight and was scheduled to arrive at 2:30 but the person who went to collect him at the Airport confirmed that he was not sure of his where abouts.

The ZCTU would like to condemn such type of harrassment of trade unionists.

It seems the paranoia afflicting government keeps increasing by the day. It seems the Zimbabwean government will stop at nothing in their bid to prevent trade unionists from exposing its weaknesses and failures.

Harare
30 ZCTU activists including the ZCTU leadership who were arrested in Harare were finally taken to court yesterday evening. The activists who included six people whose hands were in arm slings were charged for allegedly contavening Section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codication and Reform) Act which makes it an offence for people to act in a manner likely to cause public disorder.

The activists were not asked to plead when they appeared in court and were remanded out of custody on $20 000 bail eachand will appear in court 3 October 2006. They were also asked to report to the Harare Central Police station every friday until the day of the trial.

Meanwhile the ZCTU Secretary General was trialed in hospital and was given free bail. He will also appear in court on 3 October 2006. Chibebe will however go for an operation on his arm which had three fractures on Monday. He also received four stitches on his head. He is now recuperating at hospital.

September 16

Protest update 9.00AM

Harare
30 ZCTU activists including the ZCTU leadership who were arrested in Harare were finally taken to court yesterday evening. The activists who included six people whose hands were in arm slings were charged for allegedly contavening Section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codication and Reform) Act which makes it an offence for people to act in a manner likely to cause public disorder.

The activists were not asked to plead when they appeared in court and were remanded out of custody on $20 000 bail eachand will appear in court 3 October 2006. They were also asked to report to the Harare Central Police station every friday until the day of the trial.

Meanwhile the ZCTU Secretary General was trialed in hospital and was given free bail. He will also appear in court on 3 October 2006. Chibebe will however go for an operation on his arm which had three fractures on Monday. He also received four stitches on his head. He is now recuperating at hospital.

Chegutu
Activists who were arrested in Chegutu were also given bail of $1 000 each and will appear in court on 29 September they were charged under the Criminal law (codification and reform ) Act.

Victoria Falls
Three activists arrested in Victoria falls were released on bail of $5 000 each.

Hwange
2 ZCTU members arrested for distributing flyers in Hwange on Wednesday were also released on bail of $2 000 each.

September 14

Protest update 3.10PM

Harare
The ZCTU activists who were detained in Harare yesterday are still in police custody and have not been charged, the ZCTU leaders who were heavily assaulted have not received treatment up to now as Police are denying a doctor from the Doctors for Human Rights access to the arrested activists.

The police have now resorted to shuttling the detained between Matapi Police station and Harare Central Police station as Police at Harare central police station have refused to detain the arrested as they are insisting of having a report on who assaulted them. Police from Matapi are denying that the arrested were assaulted.

It is expected that the activists are going to be charged under the Public Order and Security Act. Meanwhile the lawyer representing the arrested has made an application at the High Court for an order to give the arrested access to a medical doctor.

Chitungwiza
50 people who were arrested in Chitungwiza are still in police custody and they have not been charged.

Chegutu
12 Activists from Chegutu are still in police custody as well and they were denied access to legal representation. The police insist that they are going to hold them for 48 hours before processing anything.

Other activists who were arrested in other parts of the country have been released. In total 256 People were arrested and 92 are still in Police custody and have not been charged.

Protest update 8.00AM

The ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo,1st Vice President Lucia Matibenga and Secretary General were heavily assaulted by Police yesterday at Matapi Police station in Mbare.

Reports reaching the ZCTU indicate that Matombo and Chibebe could not manage to stand after the assaults and they had to change the clothes they were wearing as they were soaked in blood. Matibenga had swollen feet and could not walk.

The three ZCTU leaders have not yet received any medical attention.

The police initially denied the ZCTU leaders access to a lawyer the whole afternoon and presumably this was the time they were being beaten.

September 13

Protest update 5.40PM

Harare: Unconfirmed reports indicate that more than 400 workers were arrested in Harare during lunchtime ZCTU protests. The workers were coming to the City centre to assemble at one point and march to the offices of the Ministry of labour. Reports also indicated that the workers were being intercepted by the police, assaulted and arrested. 8 workers were injured in one of these attacks.

15 people, including the ZCTU Secretary General, President Lovemore Matombo arrested. They were assaulted during his arrest. There was heavy police presence in the city since morning. The march route was sealed. Last night 4 people were arrested. Zanu PF militia wearing party regalia moved from point to point intimidating people.

Chitungwiza: Heavy deployment of the army with tankers. 50 arrested including members of the Chitungwiza Residents Association and the wife of the former Chitungwiza Mayor. All 50 are in detention

Plumtree: Heavy Police presence

Gwanda: Heavy Police presence

Hwange: Daniel Ncube taken for 4hrs and interrogated.

Bulawayo: Information reaching the ZCTU indicates that 48 people were
arrested in Bulawayo including the region's leadership.

About 20 people arrested, including regional Chairperson, Secretary, and organiser. Two people arrested yesterday and still at the Police.

Beitbridge: 3 people arrested.

Masvingo: No arrests so far. Mr. Gapare questioned by Masvingo Police. 15 Police Officers with baton sticks, teargas canisters and guns seal ZCTU Offices.

Mutare: It has been confirmed that 50 people were arrested in Mutare

20 people arrested, 8 Police Officers surrounding the Mutare ZCTU Office with baton sticks and teargas canisters. Ordinary citizens being beaten up and situation tense.

Chinhoyi: All ZCTU activists who were arrested in Chinhoyi have been
released. The police said they will proceed by way of summons if there is any need to pursue the issue.

15 Workers arrested, Regional chairperson taken for 4hours interrogation. Regional Officer and three others arrested yesterday and still in detention, including one who had brought food.

Kariba: Committee members intimidated by Police.

Gweru: 16 Arrested one arrested yesterday morning, released but recalled today.

Shurugwi: Executive members taken for interrogation.

Gokwe: Executive members taken for interrogation.

Kwekwe: Executive members taken for interrogation.

Chegutu: 15 Arrested two were picked up for interrogation yesterday.

Protest update - 12NOON
IT has come to the attention of the ZCTU that Zanu PF militia has been recruited to cause violence in today's mass protest. They are wearing Zanu PF regalia.

Meanwhile we have noticed heavy police and army details in almost every part of the country. In Chitungwiza, the Israeli-made tankers have been stationed at the starting point, while four more people have been arrested in Chinhoyi

Protest update - 10AM
Several members of the The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) have been arrested by the Police in the build up to today's protests

Rusape
The District Chairperson of the ZCTU Rusape district was interrogated by the CIO yesterday and during the interogation he was forced to wash his feet with an unknown liquid and also forced to bath with his clothes on. The district Chairperson was then forced to write a resignation to the ZCTU. Two other members of the district were also forced to resign.

Kwekwe
The ZCTU District Chairperson for Kwekwe was also forced to resign from his ZCTU post by Police in Kwekwe who threatened him with arrest if the ZCTU protests go ahead in Kwekwe.

Chinoyi
Three members of the Chinhoyi Region including the Regional Officer were arrested yesterday in Chinhoyi and spent the night in Police cells. The reasons for the arrest of the Regional Officer who was invited to the Police station and was thereafter detained for his role in organising the protests. The other two members were arrested for distributing flyers.

Harare
Three ZCTU activists were arrested in Harare and detained at Highfield yesterday evening while distributing flyers suburb. They were later transfered to Harare Central Police station.

Hwange
Members of the ZCTU Hwange District were invited for interrogations by the CIO they were later released after five hours.

Beitbridge
Members of the ZCTU Beitbridge district were arrested today by Police for organising the Protests in the Southern boarder town. They are still in Police custody.

Bulawayo
Two activists in Bulawayo were arrested today in Bulawayo. The ZCTU has alerted the lawyers for human rights who are representing the activists in all the districts.  

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