The four pro-democracy campaigners namely Namatai Kwekweza, the leader of WeLead Trust, Robson Chere, the Secretary-General of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Samuel Gwenzi, a former Councillor for Harare Ward 5 and Vusumuzi Moyo, were ejected by some unidentified people from an aircraft at Robert Mugabe International Airport, where they intended to travel to Victoria Falls and attend the 5th African Philanthropic Conference, which is an annual gathering of civil society policy influencers and other stakeholders, which is currently underway in the resort town.
Human rights lawyers from Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) unsuccessfully tried to get access to Kwekweza, Chere, Gwenzi and Moyo after they requested for legal assistance and were held in incommunicado detention for about eight hours before their legal practitioners eventually located them.
Chere sustained some injuries after he was tortured by the captors, who reportedly used some planks and iron roads to torture him.
The quartet, who are represented by Kelvin Kabaya, Jeremiah Bamu and Tinashe Chinopfukutwa of ZLHR, was detained overnight at Harare Central Police Station and were charged with disorderly conduct with Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers alleging that they participated in an unsanctioned demonstration held at Harare Magistrates Court in June, where they protested against the detention of Citizens Coalition for Change political party leader Jameson Timba and some of the opposition party members and demanding their release from prison.
Meanwhile, in Kariba in Mashonaland West province, ZRP officers on Wednesday 31 July 2024 arrested 14 residents including John Roland Houghton, a former legislator for Kariba constituency, on yet to be ascertained charges.
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
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