ZCTU detainees finally released

By Alex Bell
08 November 2008

38 activists who were arrested during a peaceful demonstration led by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) last week were finally released on Monday, after spending the weekend behind bars.

More than 70 people were arrested after the ZCTU’s countrywide mass action against the country’s cash crisis. The remaining 38 activists included six people from Bulawayo and 32 in Gweru. In Bulawayo the group appeared in court on Monday morning and were charged with ‘inciting the public to rise against the government’. The six were released on Z$20 million bail each and are set to appear in court next week. Meanwhile the Gweru group were released after police officials said they would ‘proceed by way of summons’.

At the same time, 15 members of pressure group the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) were released from Harare’s central police station on Sunday after they were arrested during the NCA’s peaceful demonstration in the city on Thursday. Scores of people were beaten and injured when riot police violently clashed with the demonstrators. The NCA has led three demonstrations calling for, among other things, the humanitarian situation to be immediately addressed. The group is expected back on the city streets on Wednesday.