Amnesty International has called on the Zimbabwean government to release 76 detained members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), including interim party leader Jameson Timba.
The detained were part of 79 CCC activists arrested on June 16 while commemorating the International Day of the African Child at Timba’s residence.
The arrests, described as arbitrary, involved police using baton sticks and teargas, resulting in injuries.
The detained members were charged with “gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct” and held for over 48 hours before appearing in court.
The prolonged detention was in violation of the country’s Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act that states that ‘any person who is arrested or detained must be brought before a court as soon as possible and, in any event, not later than 48 hours after the arrest took place or the detention began.
Two of the 79 originally arrested were minors who have since been released while one other person was granted bail, while the remaining 76 activists have been denied bail on two occasions so far.
Amnesty International on Tuesday called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of the detained activists, emphasising the need to respect human rights, including freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly as enshrined in Zimbabwe’s constitution.
It bemoaned a “troubling trend” of civic space suppression and harassment of opposition figures ahead of the forthcoming summit of the Southern African Development Community scheduled for Harare in August.
JN/APA