Rights of
Accused
Persons
Police arrested six human rights defenders for taking part in the protest. Harare lawyer Advocate Fadzayi Mahere,
Mudiwa Mahere, Henry Munangatire, Talent Chademana, Nyasha Musandu and Thobekile Ncube were charged with
participating in a gathering with the intention of promoting public violence to breach the peace as defined in Section
37(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23), or alternatively with disorderly conduct in a
public place. They were each released on $100 bail by Harare provincial magistrate, Mr Vakayi Chikwekwe. Defence
lawyers of the human rights defenders opposed the application arguing that the arrest and detention of their clients is
unlawful since they were not advised of the reason of arrest upon being apprehended.
Figure 2: Armed police patrolling the city center (Image by ZPP)
22 November
Right to
Personal
Security
Right to
Shelter
23 November
Freedom of
Association
Political
Zanu PF youths, Honest Bekani and his friend only known as Masimba, physically assaulted an MDC-T supporter,
*Yvonne Zuva and her 6 year-old son. Zuva reported the matter to Epworth police leading to the arrest of the two. The
case Reports Received Book (RRB) number is 2978943. Zanu PF chairperson for ward 5, Mrs. Joe, questioned Zuva
and told her she should have reported the matter to the Zanu PF leadership instead of the police and forced her to
withdraw the case. Zuva refused to withdraw the case and was threatened with eviction from her Epworth home.
MDC-T youths were putting up posters in Mufakose at Samuriwo Shopping Centre when Zanu PF youth, Jairos Humbiro
started pulling down the posters and defacing some of them. This was ahead of a rally that was scheduled for 26
November at the Zimbabwe Grounds.
13