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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Strikes and Protests 2007- Save Zimbabwe Campaign
Assaulted
journalists and political leaders freed
MISA-Zimbabwe
March 14, 2007
View Save Zimbabwe
Campaign index
of images and articles
Journalists Tsvangirai Mukwazhi
and Tendai Musiyu who were assaulted by the police and spent two
nights in police custody together with opposition MDC leader Morgan
Tsvangirai and other human rights activists were on 14 March 2007
released from custody.
The journalists and leaders
of opposition political parties and civic society organisations
were initially released by the police into the custody of their
lawyers at 23h00 on 13 March 2007 and ordered to appear for initial
remand at Harare Magistrate Court at 9am the next day.
However, when they arrived
at the magistrates courts on 14 March 2007, law officers from the
Attorney General's Office and the police were not in attendance.
Having waited for an hour for them to arrive, defence lawyers then
made a decision that if the state was still interested in pursuing
the matter, they would have to do so by way of summons.
In view of that turn of
events arising from the absence of the prosecutors, the defence
lawyers then advised their clients to go home.
The decision will hopefully
bring to an end the circus which began with the arrest of the journalists
and political leaders on 11 March 2007 which saw the police defying
at least three High Court orders to allow lawyers access to the
detained persons, allow medical practitioners access to the brutally
assaulted detainees as well as to bring the accused persons to the
High Court by 08h00 on 13 March 2007 in the event of the first two
orders having been defied.
Mukwazhi, a freelance photojournalist
and Musiyu, who is a freelance film producer, were arrested together
with Tsvangirai, Madhuku, MDC secretary-general Tendai Biti, Authur
Mutambara leader of the other MDC faction, legislator Job Sikhala
and Grace Kwinje, William Bango and Nelson Chamisa of the Tsvangirai
faction. Madhuku spotted a head bandage and his left arm was in
a sling when they appeared in court on 13 March 2007 and subsequently
referred to hospital for treatment.
The MDC leader is in the
intensive care unit and is believed to have fractured his skull
following the assaults by the police.
While MISA-Zimbabwe welcomes
the release of the journalists and political and civic leaders,
MISA-Zimbabwe deplores the heavy-handed manner with which the police
continue to abuse, harass and assault Zimbabweans who have the right
to their constitutionally guaranteed right to freedom of expression.
As a multi-party democracy,
Zimbabwe should treat opposition leaders as well as journalists
conducting their lawful duty of gathering and disseminating information
with the respect and dignity that they deserve.
Background
Gift Tandare,
an MDC activist, was shot and killed in Highfield on 11 March 2007
when police cordoned off Zimbabwe Grounds, venue of the planned
national day of prayer organised under the auspices of the Save
Zimbabwe Campaign leading to the arrest and assault of the journalists,
opposition and civic leaders.
In a blatant violation of
the fundamental rights of freedom of expression, assembly and association
on 21 February 2007 the government imposed a three-month ban on
demonstrations and political rallies in Harare.
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fact
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