Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
An intervention by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has begun yielding results after court officials on Thursday 07 July 2016 released some juveniles and residents who had been arrested during a countrywide work boycott held on Wednesday 06 July 2016.
In Matabeleland North province, Victoria Falls Magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa on Thursday 07 July 2016 set free 16 residents who had been arrested on Wednesday 06 July 2016 for staging a peaceful protest in the resort town. Magistrate Maphosa granted $100 bail to each of the 16 residents who were charged with criminal nuisance. Prosecutors also pressed fresh charges of contravening the Public Order and Security Act in addition to the criminal nuisance charges wherein they alleged that the 16 residents convened a public meeting without notifying the Zimbabwe Republic Police as the regulating authority. Magistrate Maphosa remanded the 16 residents out of custody to Thursday 21 July 2016 when their trial is scheduled to commence. Nine taxi drivers who were also arrested in the resort town were released into the custody of their lawyers and summoned to appear in court on Tuesday 12 July 2016.
In Harare, ZLHR lawyers engaged police officers at Harare Central Police Station’s Law and Order Section to release some detainees including Zvikomborero Mukarakate and Gabriel Vhuzhuri to seek medical attention after they sustained injuries resulting from assault by some law enforcement agents.
In Bulawayo, police released three juveniles, who were arrested on Wednesday 06 July 2016 and detained at Mzilikazi Police Station, into the custody of their guardians. The three juveniles are part of 86 residents arrested in the high-density suburb and charged with committing public violence. The residents are expected to appear in court on Friday 08 July 2016 together with eight other residents who were arrested and detained at Bulawayo Central Police Station and charged with committing public violence.
In Midlands province, six men, who were arrested in Zvishavane and taken to Gweru Central Police Station, were on Thursday 07 July 2016 charged with conspiracy to cause malicious damage to property and conspiracy to cause public violence. The six are now expected to appear in court in Zvishavane on Friday 08 July 2016.
In Manicaland province, two people who were arrested in Chipinge have been charged with intimidating people to engage in an anti-government demonstration and are scheduled to appear in court on Friday 08 July 2016.
Source: Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights