Arrested WOZA members facing 5 years or Z$50million fine

By Tererai Karimakwenda
22 August 2006

About 180 members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise who were arrested in Bulawayo Monday morning are still in detention at various police stations. 13 mothers with babies and 26 minors were released early Monday evening and ordered to report back to Central Police station Tuesday morning. WOZA coordinator Jenni Williams told us Tuesday that the 26 minors were all under 18 and that at least 6 men from Men of Zimbabwe Arise were still in detention. She said the whole group has signed warned and cautioned statements and will be charged under the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act which came into effect at the end of July. The charges fall under Section 37, which prohibits participating in a gathering with the intent to promote public violence or a breach of the peace.

Williams said the government needs to get their words straight because to prove “intent to cause violence” you would have to be able to enter someone’s brain. The WOZA women were marching peacefully and did not resist arrest. Williams said it will be difficult for them to be found guilty. She also stressed that Zimbabwe’s current constitution allows for freedom of assembly and freedom of expression. If found guilty they face five years imprisonment or a Z$50 million fine.

The WOZA members were arrested in Bulawayo on Monday morning as they were marching towards the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) offices to deliver an open letter to the RBZ Governor Gideon Gono protesting the currency changes that have caused chaos in the country. The detained are reportedly singing loudly in the cells and creating a lot of noise, with spirits remaining very high. Food has been brought in after lawyers negotiated with police.

Regarding the detention of the babies, The Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition issued a statement which said: “The actions of the police are also in violation of the regional and international statutes that protect the rights of children. Zimbabwe being signatories of the regional and international instruments below is mandated to uphold such instruments:
The International Covenant on the Rights of the Children
The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.”

In other court cases WOZA members, including organizer Magodonga Mahlangu, appeared in court Monday in Bulawayo in connection with a meeting they held June 16th in 2004. The government says the gathering was illegal but Williams told us they got together to discuss a fundraising jam making project. WOZA members are also facing charges for a peaceful demonstration held on World Refugee Day on June 19th 2004. About 80 were arrested on that occasion. The cases are scheduled for trial on 3rd and 4th October.