On September 4, the High Court granted bail to three prominent pro-democracy campaigners: Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza, and Samuel Gwenzi. Their release follows a tumultuous period marked by their arrest on July 31 for allegedly staging a protest at the Harare Magistrates Court.
Chere serves as the secretary general of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), while Kwekweza is a noted human rights activist, feminist, and founder of the WELEAD Trust. Gwenzi, a councillor with the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in Harare, stands alongside them in their fight for democratic rights.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the court imposed certain bail conditions. The trio must deposit an equivalent of US$150 in local currency with the court clerk and report to the police on the last Friday of each month. They are also required to avoid any interference with state witnesses and must reside at designated addresses.
The activists were arrested during a protest aimed at demanding the release of Jameson Timba, the interim leader of the CCC, along with other opposition figures. Initially, Harare Magistrate Ruth Moyo denied bail due to concerns about the possibility of further offenses, public unrest, and witness interference.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, Chere, Kwekweza, Gwenzi, and another activist, Vusa Moyo, were forcibly removed from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by unidentified state agents. After being held incommunicado for several hours, they were handed over to the police.
The arrests have drawn international condemnation, with UN independent experts calling for the charges against the activists to be dropped. They have alleged that the individuals faced enforced disappearance, torture, and other degrading treatments, including waterboarding.
As the situation unfolds, the fight for democratic rights in Zimbabwe remains a critical issue, drawing attention from both local and international observers.
Add comment