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10 arrested at WOZA Valentine's demonstration in Harare to spend night in police cells
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
February 10, 2009

WOZA can confirm that eight women and two lawyers arrested this afternoon after a peaceful demonstration to Parliament will spend the night in police cells at Harare Central Police Station.

The circumstances of their arrest and details of what charges they are facing are unknown as lawyers have been denied access to them all afternoon.

Their arrest and arbitrary detention one day before the swearing in of a new unity government in Zimbabwe clearly shows that ZANU PF has no intention of changing its repressive way of operating.

More details will be made available once they become available tomorrow.

Update

Peaceful Women Human Rights Defenders and their lawyers remain in custody as power-sharing deal gets implemented

EIGHT members of WOZA and two lawyers will be spending a second night in custody, lawyers defending them report. This morning they were all subjected to interviews about their life history, political affiliation, arrest record and other personal information.

They were then charged with allegedly contravening section 37(1)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - 'any person . . . in any place or at any meeting performs any action, utters any words or distributes or displays any writing, sign or other visible representation that is obscene, threatening, abusive or insulting, intending thereby to provoke a breach of the peace'.

The names of those arrested are: Nelia Hambarume, Clara Bongwe, Auxilia Tarumbwa, Gracy Mutambachirimo, Linda Moyo, Keure Chikomo, Edina Saidi and Kundai Mupfukudzwa. Lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Roselyn Hanzi and Tawanda Zhuwarara have also been charged.

The group have been able to access food brought in by the WOZA support team but this is small comfort as they will spend a second night in filthy cells.

Lawyers hope they will be taken to court tomorrow but various court staff are on strike and the manner in which the police are dealing with the manner indicates there is no relief forthcoming from the passing of a new national security bill or the inauguration of a Prime Minster, Morgan Tsvangirai of the Movement for Democratic Change, a party born out of the pro-democracy movement.

For more information, please call Jenni Williams on +263 912 898 110 / +263 11 213 885, Annie Sibanda on +263 912 898 112 or Magodonga Mahlangu on +263 912 362 668. Alternatively email wozazimbabwe@yahoo.com

Update
12th February 4pm

8 WOZA members and 2 lawyers released on free bail

The nine women and one man that have been held in police custody for the last two nights were finally taken to Harare Magistrate's Court this afternoon and released from custody on free bail. The group was represented by Mr Andrew Makoni of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. The eight WOZA members plus two lawyers, one female and one male, had been arrested after a peaceful pre-Valentine's Day WOZA demonstration in Harare on Tuesday.

The group, including the two lawyers, has been charged under Section 37 1 a i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - 'disturbing the peace, security or order of the public'. They will appear in court again on 4th March 2009.

Three of the women were beaten in police custody and all have had to seek medical attention. The one woman, Auxillia Tarambwa, 35 years old and two months pregnant, was blocked by a plain-clothed policeman after she had dispersed from the demonstration and told to get into a police vehicle. She refused to get into the vehicle because she was not sure if they were police or not. When she refused, the policeman slapped her and when she got to Harare Central Police Station, the same plain-clothed officer beat her again, this time with a baton stick. She was taken to a clinic upon release and has received pain treatment for extensive deep tissue bruising. Two other woman, Linda Moyo (aged 29 years) and Grace Mutsambachirimo (aged 22 years), were beaten on the soles of their feet with a baton stick by the same officer, also for refusing to get into the vehicle.

Police had also indicated to the defence team this morning that they wanted to apply for a further warrant of detention. Coupled with the beatings and the aggressive interrogations that all were subjected to, this police behaviour at a time when a new unity government has been sworn in is a worrying sign that nothing is going to change for freedom-loving Zimbabweans.

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