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WOZA members beaten and arrested in Harare today
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
June 18, 2009

Following peaceful protests in Bulawayo yesterday, hundreds of members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA/MOZA) marched through the streets of Harare today to mark International Refugee Day. 700 members were expected to have taken part. Six simultaneous protests began at 12pm under the theme - real people, real needs. As in Bulawayo, the protests were violently dispersed by police who beat protestors with baton sticks.

It is unclear at this stage how many members have been arrested but we are deeply concerned for the welfare of two members, Maria Majoni and Clara Manjengwa, who were seen to be arrested and brutally beaten by police. Clara was followed by a police vehicle after the protests had dispersed and arrested. Four police officers threw her into the back of the vehicle and began to jump on her with their booted feet and beat her with their baton sticks. When she began to scream in pain, the driver and passenger in the front seat got out the vehicle and joined their colleagues in jumping up and down on Clara. Maria Majoni was also brutally beaten with baton sticks at one of the starting points before being arrested. It is unclear where either woman has been taken. A journalist who was recording the beating of Maria Majoni was also arrested.

Three of the six simultaneous protests were immediately stopped by police who had been patrolling the streets of central Harare. Those that had gathered were beaten with baton sticks and dispersed. Riot police intercepted the fourth protest outside the offices of The Herald, violently beating the peaceful protestors. As the last two protests were nearing their target, Parliament, riot police again descended and began to brutally beat the group. The demonstrators were followed by police as they dispersed who continued to beat them as they moved away.

As they beat the peaceful protestors, police told them "you wanted lower rates, here are the lower rates you wanted" before hitting them with their baton sticks.

Meanwhile seven of the eight activists arrested yesterday in Bulawayo remain in police custody. Lawyers secured the release of one of the group as he is on antiretroviral medication. All eight are expected to appear in court tomorrow facing charges of disturbing the peace.

News update - 6pm - Thursday 18th

4 badly beaten members denied medical treatment, detained in custody

It has been established that five WOZA members and three journalists were arrested after six peaceful protests were violently broken up by police in Harare today. Four women, including Clara Manjengwa and Maria Majoni, remain in custody in Harare Central Police Station. One woman who had been arrested with her baby, and the three journalists, have been released.

The four women who remain in custody have all been badly beaten and are in severe pain. All had been processed to be taken to Parirenyatwa Hospital when Law and Order officers instructed that they were no longer allowed to receive medical treatment. The women's lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, was informed by Law and Order officer, Mundondo, that is was because Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) had "stage-managed" the peaceful protests to embarrass the authorities during the visit of Amnesty International Secretary-General, Irene Khan. Ms Khan had been giving a press conference just prior to the start of the protests before leaving the country.

The peaceful protests had been held to commemorate International Refugee Day, held annually on 20th June. WOZA traditionally marks International Refugee Day as we believe Zimbabweans are refugees in their own country - displaced, unsettled and insecure. The aim of these peaceful protests in Bulawayo and Harare was to remind the inclusive government and the world that the people of Zimbabwean remain the victims of this crisis. All Zimbabweans deserve to enjoy the full rights of citizenship; amongst others, the right to earn a living, the right to personal security and the right to adequate shelter. The actions of the police in both Harare and Bulawayo, and Officer Mundondo in particular, are further evidence that the Zimbabwean authorities have no intention of treating Zimbabweans as citizens with rights and continue to act with impunity.

The three journalists, including one from the state-owned Herald newspaper, were arrested for covering the protests and the brutal beatings that ensued. When police established that one of the journalists was from The Herald, they tried to release only him. The other two (independent) journalists refused to accept this and all three were released without charge.

Having established that all four arrested members were in severe pain, defence lawyers arranged for them to be taken to hospital. The women had been processed to be taken and were informed that the delay was only due to waiting for an appropriate escort when police abruptly changed their mind - punishing the women for "embarrassing the state". Ms Mtetwa was also warned that police are considering bringing charges against ZLHR for "stage-managing" the protests.

It is thought that the women are being charged with disturbing the peace - Section 37 1 a of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, despite the fact that WOZA leaders recently appealed these charges at the Supreme Court and had been informed that the charges do not apply to peaceful protest.

The members still in custody in Bulawayo are facing the same charges and are expected to be taken to court tomorrow morning.

Please phone Harare Central Police Station on +263 4 777777 to demand that the four women be released immediately so that may receive medical treatment. Ask Officer Mundondo why these innocent women are being punished for asking to be treated with dignity.

News update - 1pm - Friday 19th

4 members arrested in Harare released on bail; State trying to deny Bulawayo members bail

The four WOZA women arrested in Harare yesterday have been released on bail. The badly injured activists appeared in Harare Magistrate's Court this morning. After an initial argument by the state that they should be denied bail, the women were released on bail of USD10 each and remanded out of custody to 2nd July. Their defence lawyer, Harrison Nkomo, applied for, and was granted, an order for the police to explain the injuries that all four women sustained. They are currently receiving medical attention.

In Bulawayo, the seven members that have spent the last two nights in police custody appeared in Bulawayo Magistrate's this morning. The state, through the investigating officer, Moyo, has spent all morning arguing that they should be denied bail until Jenni Williams' arrest has been secured. The state is arguing that Williams should be charged as an organiser because of remarks that she made at a public meeting last week that WOZA would roll out peaceful protests until all Zimbabweans receive social justice. The magistrate is due to give her ruling on the bail application this afternoon.

News update - 5pm - Friday 19th

All WOZA members finally released

The seven members arrested in Bulawayo on Wednesday have finally been released on bail of USD20 each. They have been remanded out of custody to 3rd July and have to report to their nearest police station every Friday. The Magistrate had tried to postpone the matter to Monday 22nd but the defence successfully argued against a postponement. The state then attempted to delay their release by saying that all clerks of the court were in a meeting all afternoon and that therefore their bail could only be paid on Monday. Fortunately Kossam Ncube, the defence lawyer, was able to secure their release by late afternoon. All were beaten prior to being arrested and have needed to seek medical attention for deep tissue bruising.

The four members in Harare have also finally been able to go home having received medical treatment. One woman has a broken finger, whilst another two are on crutches as they are unable to walk unaided. Maria Majoni has to return for further medical treatment for injuries to her ear. All have severe deep tissue bruising.

The four Harare members are required to report directly to the Law and Order Department every Friday. Both groups of activists, in Harare and Bulawayo, are charged under Section 37 1 a of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - 'disturbing the peace, security or order of the public'.

It has emerged that the woman with her nine-month old baby that had been arrested with the other four in Harare and then later released had been pulled out of the demonstration by riot police and taken to a room inside Parliament filled with police. They took the baby of her back, placing it on the floor at the side of the room before taking it in turns to beat the mother. She was later taken to Central Police Station where the other WOZA members denied knowing her until she was released.

WOZA is relieved that all activists have finally been released from custody but remains shaken by the brutality they received at the hands of the police. Attempts to hold the activists in Bulawayo hostage until Jenni Williams has been arrested and denying the activists in Harare medical attention as punishment are all the actions of a state that has no interest in changing its behaviour. Police officers like Mundondo in Harare and Moyo in Bulawayo continue to violate the rights of peaceful activists despite the fact that the Global Political Agreement (GPA) signed in September last year promised commitment to human rights and the rule of law. As the world commemorates International Refugee Day tomorrow under the theme - real people, real needs, the real needs of the Zimbabwean people continue to be ignored.

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