the schedule to the Criminal Code –
‘interfering with the ordinary comfort, convenience,
peace or quiet of the public or creating a nuisance or
obstruction’, the same as the other activists.
They were allowed food at dinnertime with no
interference and the members who took in the food
report that they are in good spirits. WOZA activists
will maintain a vigil outside Bulawayo Central Police
Station through the night to ensure that they come to
no harm however.
The five members who were released today at lunchtime
received medical treatment for their injuries, mostly
soft tissue bruising. One member related how she was
beaten with baton sticks by several police officers,
including across the breasts. She is in severe pain
and doctors are worried that some of the lesions may
form into abscesses. Another member, who was not
arrested, needed to receive specialist treatment this
afternoon and will need to have an operation tomorrow.
She was kicked in the groin by booted police officers
on Wednesday and is bleeding heavily.
With the release of the women, we have been able to
learn much more about conditions in the cells. The
women related how officers threw bucket loads of water
into the cells every day, forcing them to spend the
entire time on wet concrete. In the middle of a cold
Bulawayo winter, the group of seven was also only
given two blankets in total. As a result, many of the
women are suffering from cold symptoms.
The group of seven was also kept in a cell by
themselves, away from the other women prisoners. It is
suspected that this was to prevent the WOZA activists
from teaching their fellow detainees about their
rights and recruiting them to join the nonviolent
struggle for social justice in Zimbabwe! It is
believed that Williams and Mahlangu are currently
being held in a cell with other women however.
News update
Friday 8th June – 2.30pm
Williams and Mahlangu still detained; police applying
for warrant of further detention
There is still extreme concern for the well being of
Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu. They are still
being detained without charge and police are planning
to apply for a warrant of further detention. Lawyers
are being told that they will be taken to court
tomorrow.
However as Law and Order officers have directly
threatened these two, telling them that they will be
taken to Harare and detained and tortured, WOZA does
not believe that their safety can be maintained during
those 24 hours. We also believe that it is just a
tactic to keep them in custody until Monday
The other five members were released at lunchtime.
They were taken to court but did not appear before the
magistrate. Police were instructed to proceed by way
of summons.
News update
Friday 8th June – 10.30am
URGENT APPEAL – CONCERN FOR MAHLANGU AND WILLIAMS
Five of the seven WOZA members being held at Bulawayo
Central Police Station have finally been charged.
These members had been arrested at the demonstration
and have been charged under Section 46 of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) as read with Section
2(v) of the schedule to the Criminal Code – ‘employs
any means whatsoever which are likely materially to
interfere with the ordinary comfort, convenience,
peace or quiet of the public or any section of the
public, or does any act which is likely to create a
nuisance or obstruction’. They are currently being
taken to court.
Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, who handed
themselves in to the police station in solidarity,
have not yet been fingerprinted or had their
statements taken. Police are refusing to allow the
lawyers access to them. It is also not clear what
these two will be charged with. There is concern that
police may try to detain these two further or take
this opportunity to carry out their death threats on
the two WOZA activists. Lawyers are making an urgent
high court application for their release.
Please keep calling Bulawayo Central Police Station on
+263 9 72515 / 61706 to demand that Williams and
Mahlangu be released immediately and not be harmed.
Post published in: News