HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE | ZIMRIGHTS
June 10, 2016.
The right thing is the human rights thing!
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ISSUE | Court sets US$ 1000 bail each for Africa Unity Square activists
Some of the occupants, including some of the arrest and detained
Harare – The Harare Magistrates’ Court in a jaw-dropping development has set the bail for five human rights activists currently detained by the government a US $ 1000 bail each for charges emanating from their #16DayOccupation of Africa Unity Square.
Patson Dzamara – brother to abducted activist, Itai Dzamara – Makomborero Haruzivishe, the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) Secretary General, former student leader and activist Pride Mkono, pro-democracy activist, Oliver Chikumba, and Anti-Privatisation Forum activist, Tatenda Mombeyerara, appeared at the Magistrates Court today, June 10, 2016.
This follows the summary arrest of 15 activists, who have been spending their days and nights since May 31, 2016 at Africa Unity Square opposite Parliament in Harare protesting rampant human rights abuses and economic mismanagement by President Robert Mugabe’s 36 year-old government.
Meanwhile, female activists who were also arrested at the Square in central Harare, did not appear in court today with hopes that they will be brought to court tomorrow.
OUR POSITION: ZimRights National Director, Okay Machisa, expressed regret and disappointment at the way the government has handled the peaceful protest.
“It is unfortunate that the government is willingly returning the country to a very bad and soiled human rights record,” said Machisa.
“It trivialises the slight progress that was now being made towards respecting fundamental and constitutional rights if the authorities wilfully lead in the violation of the human rights of peaceful protestors.
“The constitutional rights of citizens to peacefully demonstrate and assemble are set out in Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution. It is solemnly regrettable that the government has certainly chosen to ignore this.
“As civil society, we think that is logical that when the government fails in its responsibility to protect its citizens and becomes the chief violator, the international community has scope to aid by giving collective insurance to the human rights and dignity of citizens of Zimbabwe. So we urge human rights organisations within and outside the country to also bring their voices and influence to bear on the Zimbabwean government.”
On the night of June 8, 2016, just before midnight, a suspected police trap was set up to allegedly concoct theft and robbery charges against the male activists, reportedly using a script that could leave even renowned Hollywood movie directors envious of the said fabrication.
Meanwhile, the founder of the Occupy Africa Unity Square movement, Itai Dzamara remains unaccounted for 15 months on.
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Contacts:
National Chairperson, Passmore Nyakureba 0772 339 159 email: pnyakureba@
National Director, Okay Machisa: 0772 135 882 email: omachisa@zimrights.co.
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RESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release;
June 09, 2016.
ISSUE| Government must top harassment of Africa Unity Square protesters!!
Harare – The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) reminds the Government of Zimbabwe to respect and safeguard the right of citizens to peacefully protest, after thugs recently beat activists in the past days, and police arrested some activists last night at Africa Unity Square.
The activists, who include women activists, student activists, activists for the rights of people living with disabilities, journalists and social justice activists have been spending the days and nights at the Square since May 31 to fulfil a #16DayOccupation symbolism against bad governance.
The cases of open harassment at the Square adjacent the Zimbabwe Parliament have happened severally since the occupation protest started. This is a clear violation of the protesters’ freedom to peacefully demonstrate and assemble as set out in Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
A first hand assessment by ZimRights of the activist’s injuries this week showed that a freelance journalist, James Jemwa, had suffered a bloodshot right eye, and cut his lip.
Importantly and equally outrageously, today June 9, 2016 marks 15 months after the abduction of the founder of the Occupy Africa Unity Square leader, Itai Dzamara, by suspected state security agents at a barbershop in his neighbourhood, and he remains not heard from or seen with the police too lackadaisical with the investigations.
ZimRights notes with concern that the police by arresting some of the activists has once more acted unconstitutionally and intervened against the fundamental rights of the protesters in the Square, in the same way they beat up Itai until he passed out and broke his lawyer, Kennedy Masiye’s arm in incidences in October and November 2014.
The police must immediately release the arrested activists and stop interfering with their constitutional rights, but honour their duty to protect the activists from thugs that the police must arrest.
It is unfortunate that the growing trend in the country is that government through the security institutions is responding to citizens’ lawful dissent such as demonstrations, sit-ins, and petitions through harassment. This is amply shown by the two-year history of the Occupy Africa Unity Square group and the official treatment of its activists, including Itai Dzamara.
For further inquiries contact:
National Chairperson, Passmore Nyakureba 0772 339 159 email: pnyakureba@
National Director, Okay Machisa: 0772 135 882 email: omachisa@zimrights.co.
Crisis Info
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition (CIZC) calls upon the country’s security services to uphold
the Constitution and desist from violating people’s fundamental rights and
freedoms through serving partisan political interests.
Revelations
during a court hearing for five activists today June 10, 2016 are a genuine
cause for concern.
The
five activists, Pride Mkono, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Makomborero Haruzivishe,
Oliver Chikumba and Partson Dzamara were arrested on trumped up charges of
attempted robbery and resisting arrest on June 8, 2016.
They
were arrested in Africa Unity Square where they were gathered as part of a 16
day campaign against misrule by the ruling Zanu (PF) party.
CIZC
is concerned over the partisan conduct exhibited by the police force since the
activists began their 16 day campaign on May 31, 2016.
It
came out during today’s court hearing that before the arrest of the activists,
there had been a foiled attempt to abduct them. The abductees were led by an
identified officer from the police Law and Order Section.
As
CIZC we are deeply concerned about law enforcement agents being deployed to
institute a series of arbitrary arrests and abductions of citizens who are
merely exercising their constitutional right to protest as outlined under
Section 59 of the country’s Constitution.
As
discontent continues togrow among ordinary Zimbabweans over Zanu (PF’s)
misrule, CIZC is concerned that the political party has turned to manipulation
of the security services to safeguard their stay in power.
To
us, the stance taken by Zanu (PF) is responsible for the upsurge in cases of
violation of people’s constitutional rights by law enforcement agents who are
supposed to be custodians of the law and we fear for the worst as the country
goes towards the 2018 elections.
Partisan
conduct by the security services has been and continues to be responsible for
arbitrary arrests of perceived and known opposition supporters as well as
torture and murder of Zanu (PF) opponents hence Zanu (PF’s) determination to
stay in power leaves us in great fear of an upsurge in human rights violations.
Section
208 (2) of thecountry’s Constitution is clear that members of the security
services must not act in a partisan manner, further the interests of any
political party orcause, prejudice the lawful interests of any political party
or cause or violate the fundamental rights or freedoms of any person yet the
security services have turned out to be the biggest violators of human rights
as they seek to protect Zanu (PF’s) continued stay in power.
The
2008 political violence that claimed the lives of about 200 MDC-T supporters
was perpetrated by the security services as well and with Zanu (PF) in a panic
mood, our suspicion is high the revolutionary party will employ its dirty
tactics again.
In
light of this, CIZC shall continue with its lobby and advocacy campaigns to
ensure respect for people’s fundamental rights and freedoms as well as
upholding of the country’s supreme law.
ENDS//
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