WOZA activists still in custody in Mutare

By Violet Gonda
18 February 2010

Police in Mutare are still holding two women from the pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise, for allegedly participating in a WOZA demonstration that was held in the eastern border town on Tuesday.

The group said their activist Sibongile Matupe, and an elderly member, Rose Rukwewo, who were arrested from their homes on Wednesday, remain in custody at Mutare Central Police Station even though the police have admitted that they have no evidence to charge the two women with. It is reported Rukwezo suffers from hypertension and is currently unwell.

A WOZA statement said: “They now want to prefer charges of criminal nuisance against the women even though the women were taken from their own homes at the time of their arrest. In an act of pure maliciousness and harassment, police are also insisting that the two women remain in custody for the full 48 hours before being taken to court.”

The pressure group has accused the police of going on a door to door campaign harassing suspected WOZA members in Sakubva Township. Police in Mutare refused to talk to SW Radio Africa when contacted for comment.

WOZA has held several demonstrations in some of the major cities in recent days, to test media and civic freedoms under the new government.

“The arrest of these women is further evidence that nothing has changed on the ground for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe. Police continue to act with impunity and without any regard for the law – the houses of the two women were searched without warrants; they were also denied access to their lawyer for hours, during which time they were subjected to intense interrogation. The two women were also subjected to severe pressure to pay ‘admission of guilt’ fines,” said the group.