11 brutalised and detained for 3 days after peaceful march in Harare

Tererai Karimakwenda
17 September, 2007

11 members of a new human rights group were severely assaulted by police and arrested on Friday as they gathered for a peaceful march in Harare. Stan Zvorwadza, vice president of Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHRZim), said about 500 members of their group were gathering for the march when they were disrupted by heavily armed police who proceeded to assault them with baton sticks and booted feet. Ironically the march was to protest police brutality. Zvorwadza said: “The police have become vicious animals in Zimbabwe. They have become vicious leopards who brutalise people for no reason whatsoever.”

The 11 spent 3 days in custody and were released late Monday afternoon after paying a Z$40,000 fine each for ‘disorderly behaviour.’ A furious Zvorwadza blasted the police saying they are playing games with the system by ruthlessly detaining people, then letting them go without any serious charge. Referring to the fine, he said: “You can’t even buy a sweet for that amount of money in Zimbabwe.”
Zvorwadza revealed that the 11 activists were assaulted while in police custody. He said one of them was removed from the group and severely battered by a notorious CIO agent whose name he did not disclose. Those who needed medical assistance were denied it.

Regarding the incident Friday, Zvorwadza explained that their members had gathered on the sidewalk in order to keep traffic flowing and avoid causing problems. Opposing police brutality is one element of the mission of Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe. Zvorwadza said: “They do not follow normal police principles used in other democratic countries. They beat first, then arrest.”
He added that the group is trying to educate people about their rights. They also want the police to realize that what they are doing is morally and politically wrong. He said: “They are supposed to protect the public instead of victimising them for expressing their rights.”

Police violence in Zimbabwe has intensified as the economic situation continues to deteriorate. Any public expression of frustration by the masses has been met with brutal response by armed forces. Opposition leaders, students and civil activists have all been victims of police brutality, and lawyers who represent them have not been spared either.