GOKWE | Twelve people were arrested in Gokwe for allegedly participating in an anti-government demonstration, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) reported on Friday.
The protesters reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government, as well as his appointment as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Chairperson at a regional bloc meeting in Harare.
Separately, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) arrested social and economic justice campaigner Darlington Madzonga in Harare, accusing him of participating in an anti-government protest in January 2019.
Bail denied: Activists accused of court protest to remain in custody.
🚨🟡⚫️Alert: 12 people have been arrested in Gokwe for allegedly participating in an “unlawful” gathering. This is despite the fact that the constitution guarantees the right to expression and peaceful assembly. pic.twitter.com/ZhD3QWU7dQ
— Zimbabwe Human Rights Monitors Platform (@ProtectHRDs) August 16, 2024
HARARE – Activists Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza, and Samuel Gwenzi are set to seek relief at the High Court following Magistrate Ruth Moyo’s denial of their bail. The trio was apprehended on July 31 aboard a flight to Victoria Falls.
Charged with disorderly conduct, the activists are accused of protesting at the Harare Magistrates Court, calling for the release of jailed Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) interim leader Jameson Timba and other opposition figures.
Moyo refused bail, citing the likelihood of the accused reoffending. “Given that some of their accomplices escaped, they might regroup and reoffend,” she said. Moyo ruled that the state had provided sufficient grounds for their continued detention pending trial.