Okay Machisa, the director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), was arrested on Monday in Harare and charged with publishing falsehoods, fraud and forgery after allegedly conducting illegal voter registration.
He was remanded in custody until January 30.
Another ZimRights official, Leo Chamahwinya, was arrested in December and remains in detention. He faces the same charges.
"This (Machisa's) case appears to have the hallmarks of politically motivated prosecutions calculated to instill fear among human rights defenders as the country prepares for elections some time in the year," said Noel Kututwa, Amnesty International’s Southern Africa director.
"Many other human rights workers and NGO staff have been harassed, intimidated and arbitrarily detained by police as part of the ongoing crackdown on freedom of expression in the country ahead of the elections."
Kututwa urged authorities to halt such rights abuses and release all those detained as part of this crackdown.
"These cases cast doubt on whether the country is ready to hold a violence free election," he added.
Both ZimRights officials are charged with contravening Section 31, 136 and 137 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly attempting to defraud the Registrar General’s Office by forging and manufacturing counterfeit copies of voter registration.
Others recently arrested and detained as part of the crackdown include Fidelis Mudimu, Zachariah Godi and Tafadzwa Geza, senior staff members of the Counselling Services Unit (CSU) a registered medical clinic treating victims of organized violence and torture.
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