BULAWAYO
Two members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), Trust Moyo and Cynthia Ncube, spent a second night in custody following a protest in which police attacked marchers with batons and drove a truck at the crowd.
The two members, held at Bulawayo Central Police Station, have been charged with distributing materials likely to cause a breach of the peace.
WOZA says Moyo was beaten by police on the street and also in a police vehicle. The two were driven out of town and through a busy area close to the army barracks, before being taken to Bulawayo Central. Eight police officers were in the vehicle.
It is not clear what injuries he has sustained as a result of his beatings. as he has not been allowed to receive medical attention, said WOZA. It is also not clear how Cynthia has been treated since her detention.
More than 60 members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) needed medical attention after being beaten by police or hit by police vehicles on Monday.
At least 12 were arrested when they marched through the city to call for an end to political violence.
The peaceful march – joined by members of Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) – was also part of the organisation’s Make Your Vote Count campaign.
The demonstrators had planned to deliver a demand to the High Court that the Chief Election Officer declare Morgan Tsvangirai as president, rather than hold a run-off, which would only result in more violence.
The group of several hundred had just gathered and begun to march when they were set upon by two truckloads of riot police who beat them with batons.