Update on Mwonzora case and Facebook arrest

The group claim they were wrongfully arrested and mistreated by the police earlier this year and this was a violation of their rights. In February they were arrested and charged with public violence, after disturbances in Mwonzoras consituency where he had addressed a rally. The MDC-T say it was pure police harassment. They were held in filthy cells in Nyanga and Mutare but in March were released on bail.

This month they filed a constitutional challenge, arguing that the authorities violated their rights to liberty and protection from inhuman and degrading treatment as enshrined in the Constitution. The state had dismissed this claim, stating that it was frivolous. However on Monday, a Nyanga magistrate granted the groups application to refer their case to the Supreme Court to determine if their rights were indeed violated.

In another update of MDC harassment; on Tuesday the MDC-T announced that 27 activists and mourners who were being held for assault have been released on $20 bail each. They are expected to appear in court again on 7th June. The group was arrested last Thursday in Warren Park, at the funeral of MDC-T activist Jack Ndeketeya who died in a car accident. They included MDC-T activists, Ndeketeyas elderly and ailing father, his mother, a pastor and other mourners. They were held at Harare Central Police Station and charged with assault and theft. Over the weekend, Ndeketeyas parents were released.

The MDC-T had complained that the charges were trumped up because the police would not say they who they are alleged to have robbed. And next month a man will appear in court to face allegations that he posted a message on Facebook, saying the pro-democracy protests in Egypt were worth emulating.

The state alleges that in February Vikas Mavhudzi posted a message on Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirais Facebook wall, encouraging him to take a cue from the uprisings. Im overwhelmed, dont know what to say Mr PM, Mavhudzi is alleged to have written, what happened in Egypt is sending shockwaves to all dictators around the world. No weapon but unity of purpose. Worth emulating hey.

Mavhudzi, is believed to be the first person to be arrested in Zimbabwe for posting comments on Facebook. In February, 46 Zimbabweans were charged with treason for discussing the mass protests in Egypt. Although 38 were freed, the remaining six were detained and totured, before being released on bail.