ZINASU student activists released

By Violet Gonda
11 September 2006

More than 50 student activists arrested on Friday and Saturday in Harare and Mutare respectively have now been released, most of them without charge. Beloved Chiweshe, the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe National Student Union (ZINASU), said he was arrested together with 7 other leaders on Friday and released late Saturday evening.

He said the others were arrested during a general council meeting held in Mutare on Saturday.

Chiweshe also told us that some of the students were assaulted while in police custody. He said; “There were obviously a few overzealous officials who really did put some physical counselling on a few of our Comrades.”

Lawyers from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) said 46 students arrested in Mutare were released during the weekend but of this group 6 student leaders were detained for the whole weekend and only released Monday, after being forced to pay admission of guilt fines of Z$250 each.

ZLHR lawyers are challenging these fines in court.

Although the student leaders say they were conducting a ZINASU meeting they were charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The police alleged that their conduct was a breach of peace or was likely to cause a breach of peace.

The ZLHR said this was a wrongful arrest and detention saying; “The fact that the police made them pay fines was an attempt to cover up the illegal arrests and detention.”

Observers say although more and more people are being arrested this has had the benefit of exposing the appalling conditions in Zimbabwe’s prison cells and the brutal treatment meted out by state agents. The ZINASU Secretary General said there were only 2 blankets in the cold cell containing 32 people and no running water at Harare Central Police Station. “Sewage is flowing all over and unfortunately in cells you are forced to remove your shoes. It’s very bad, inhuman and degrading.”