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WOZA and MOZA commemorate International Peace Day with street protest in Harare
Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)
September 20, 2010

At noon today, 600 members of Women and Men of Zimbabwe marched to Parliament in Harare to mark International Peace Day. It is believed 60 members are under arrest at Harare Central Police Station. 25 members were arrested and taken to Harare Central Police Station. 35 more handed themselves in in solidarity after marching from Parliament to Harare Central. The total arrested is believed to be 60.

The aim of the peaceful protest was to highlight community safety issues and police behavior in communities. When the peaceful group arrived at Parliament, they handed over a list of demands for members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Police Commissioner and the co-Ministers of Home Affairs to police officers stationed outside Parliament. The full list of demands can also be found on our website.

Two members addressed the peaceful group outside Parliament explaining that tomorrow (21st September) is International Peace Day and using the example of the violence at COPAC consultations over the weekend to illustrate how Zimbabweans have little experience of peace. They called on the Zimbabwe Republic Police to allow Zimbabweans to be able to give their views of what they want in a new Constitution without violence and called on police to arrest those that threatened others or used violence.

Bystanders were overheard supporting the protestors - commenting on the violence shown by police officers in recent weeks and how police officers should be ashamed of themselves for not being the ones to keep the peace.

WOZA members have been worried about the performance and professionalism of our police officers for some time. As a result, WOZA has observed their behavior in select communities in Bulawayo and Harare for four months.

WOZA members observed police officers beating suspects in public; harassing vendors and taking their goods for their own use, without any receipting; demanding and accepting bribes, both in public and at police stations; drinking in uniform in public, sometimes stopping to drink while escorting suspects who will be under arrest and making people under arrest 'run' in front of their motor bikes and/or horses to the police station. In Bulawayo, many police officers refuse to respond to citizens' complaints if they speak in the Ndebele language, insisting they speak in Shona.

75% of people whose rights were violated during arrest reported damages, injuries and or loss of property. These incidents are common when one is arrested by the plain-clothed and municipal police.

A more detailed account of our findings can be found on our website but the investigations done during the four months is just a small part of what is happening and are a reflection of a poor relationship between police and the community. It is clear that police officers routinely violate human rights and do not follow proper protocols of arrest and detention. In this regard, they are not following the Zimbabwe Police Act, the ZRP Service Charter and ZRP Service Standards as well as regional and international standards and instruments.

Please phone Harare Central Police Station on +263 4 777777 to demand that the WOZA activists be released immediately.

News Update
September 20, 2010 - 5pm

83 WOZA members to spend night in cells at Harare Central Police Station

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights have confirmed that 83 WOZA members are being held at Harare Central Police Station. They will spend the night in custody even though police officers are still not sure what charges to prefer or if they even have a case against the activists as most handed themselves in.

WOZA members had commemorated International Peace Day by handing over a set of demands aimed at the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the Ministers of Home Affairs asking police to adhere to the protocols set out in the Police Act, the ZRP Service Charter and the ZRP Service Standards and to work together with Zimbabweans to keep our communities safe.

When police arrived at Parliament in a police vehicle and began to arrest some members, others rushed to jump in the vehicle, effectively arresting themselves. When the vehicle was full, other members marched to Harare Central and handed themselves in at the station.

These arrests come after many constitutional consultations in Harare over the weekend were marred by violence from ZANU PF youth. It is unclear how many, if any, of these violent youths have been arrested and yet 83 peace activists, asking police to work together with them to promote community safety, are the ones that have been arrested.

WOZA is currently suing the co-Ministers of Home Affairs over the filthy and inhumane conditions in Harare Central Police Station. By all accounts, conditions have not improved and are still soiled with human waste.

Please continue to phone Harare Central Police Station on +263 4 777777 to demand that the WOZA activists be released immediately.

News Update
September 21, 2010 - 5pm

83 members remain in custody in Harare Central Police Station for second night

The 83 members arrested in Harare yesterday after a peaceful protest to Parliament remain in custody in Harare Central Police Station for a second night. After initially talking of charging them with public disorder, Law and Order officers have charged the group with obstructing traffic. They had tried to make the group pay admission of guilt fines but they refused, insisting on being taken to court. It is hoped that they will be taken to court tomorrow morning.

There is concern for the well-being of the group as conditions in Harare Central are apparently worse than they were in April. The state of the cells at that time prompted WOZA to sue the co-Ministers of Home Affairs over their filthy and inhumane state. Police also attempted to deny the group their lunch this afternoon, claiming that they could only receive the food in the presence of a lawyer. A MOZA member, Lazarus Mandondo, was also severely beaten in cells last night during a routine counting of detainees.

News Update
September 22, 2010 - 1.30pm

83 members released on free bail - Jenni Williams arrested outside Harare Magistrate's Court

The 83 members arrested on Monday for a peaceful protest about community safety appeared in Harare Magistrate's Court this morning charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, Chapter 46, as read with Section 2(v) of the Third Schedule to the Criminal Code - 'criminal nuisance'. It transpires that police decided to go with these charges instead of obstructing traffic. They were granted free bail and remanded out of custody to 6 October.

The state had tried to get bail set at US $ 50 each and for each of the 83 to report to Harare Central Police Station every Friday but the magistrate refused these conditions, saying that they were too severe for the nature of the charges.

Having been dismissed from court, WOZA leaders were speaking to the group across the road from court, trying to ascertain which of the recently released members needed medical attention when police officers insisted that Jenni Williams, WOZA's National Coordinator, accompany them to the police post inside Harare Magistrate's Court for addressing the group. They accused her of 'addressing a gathering' and tried to get her to sign a caution admitting that she had addressed a gathering at court. When she attempted to explain that she was merely attempting to provide assistance to those that had been recently released, police insisted that she be taken to Law and Order at Harare Central. She is currently being held at Harare Magistrate's Court until police can provide transport to Harare Central.

WOZA condemns this harassment of its members by police.

News Update
September 22, 2010 - 5pm

Jenni Williams released without charge; 10 released members need medical attention

After much confusion, Jenni Williams has been released from police custody. Inspector Majuru, based at Harare Magistrate's Court, finally released her after Williams signed a caution under protest. Majuru had insisted that Williams be taken to Harare Central for 'addressing a gathering in court' even though both she and her legal representation explained on numerous occasions that she had merely been speaking to members that had been released from court about who needed medical attention. The group was also not even in the immediate vicinity of court. Inspector Majuru would not let her go to Harare Central however as he kept insisting that it was not safe to do so as there were still WOZA members outside court and they would start demonstrating if they caught sight of Williams! After several phone calls between himself and Harare Central, Williams was released.

The 76 women and seven men released this morning after two nights in horrific conditions in Harare Central are all suffering from aches and pains and upset stomachs. 10 people required medical treatment for various ailments including dysentery. Lazarus Mandondo required treatment for severe headaches as he was beaten across his head with baton sticks and made to stand on his head for several hours. Several people are still in the process of being checked and the whole group will be monitored for developing conditions.

It also transpires that a nine-month-old baby was in custody with her mother. It is being investigated why the mother and child were not released earlier. Both mother and baby are still due to be checked by a medical professional.

The group testified to appalling conditions in cells. Clara Manjengwa and Lillian Ntefula, both of whom spent six days in custody in April, confirm that conditions are much worse now than in April. None of the cells, male or female, are in use due to their filthy state requiring all detainees to stay in the passages, which are equally dirty. Over 120 women and over 150 men were squashed in their respective passages. The toilets were not working and in the female cells, no water was available. When the WOZA women asked for cleaning materials so that they could clean their section, they were given a mop but no water. In the male cells, an officer, Moyo, would spray the male prisoners with a hose pipe and make them sing and dance along to a song played on his cell phone. If anyone did not comply, they would be beaten. The WOZA and MOZA activists were also verbally abused by officers. Yesterday, after refusing to pay admission of guilt fines, they were forced to eat their dinner and breakfast this morning in a room filled with human waste 'to fix them for thinking that they have money'.

WOZA condemns the prolonged detention of the 83 activists, including a baby, in inhumane conditions, their degrading treatment, the torture of Lazarus Mandondo and the arbitrary arrest of Jenni Williams. The demonstrations earlier this week were to highlight police abuses and the concerns of ordinary Zimbabwean citizens about safety in their communities. The behaviour of police towards the women and men of WOZA, human rights defenders exercising their constitutional right to speak out about issues concerning them, only serves as further proof of our concerns. Attempts on the part of WOZA leadership last week to meet with the Commissioner of Police, Augustine Chihuri to discuss the concerns of WOZA members about community safety and to hand over a list of demands were denied by his refusal to meet with WOZA.

WOZA renews its call to members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police to behave in accordance with the ZRP Service Charter, Service Standards and the Police Act. Please remember the people of Zimbabwe are not the enemy to be abused and mistreated, we are your brothers and sisters.

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