Zimbabwean Lawyers for Human Rights are representing four pro-democracy activists after they were taken from a commercial plane in the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare and kept in separate rooms for eight hours in the airport and tortured, according to the organisation. After the torture, by what has been reported in ZimLive reports, they were handed over to the local police and only then could the lawyers reach them, The Daily Maverick has reported.
“We have worked tirelessly during the day and at night searching for victims of abduction and torture, and are now with them at Harare Magistrate’s Court, representing them after they were formally charged with disorderly conduct,” Zimbabwean Lawyers for Human Rights said.
Namatai Kwekweza is an advocate and human rights activist in Zimbabwe. She works to advance young people and women’s rights in the country. She was with Robson Chere, the general secretary of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, and human rights politician Councillor Samuel Ngwezi, and Vusumuzi Moyo, who is an artist but was targeted due to proximity with the human rights defenders.
Images of four human rights defenders in blood-stained clothes were shared by civil society organisations who described the condition of the quartet as limping and visibly in pain as they made their first appearance in the Harare Magistrate’s court at noon on Friday.
“They were kicked and shoved to enter via a carousel that ordinarily carries luggage into the domestic terminal. They were detained in an excluded poorly lit room at the domestic terminal of Robert Mugabe International Airport
They were taken in turns into a dark room where each individual was held in solitary confinement and was tortured by between 8 and 12 men at a time. The room also had a pit that had pieces of metal and drums that was 3 or so metres deep
The torture included being hit with open hands, clenched fists, wooden planks, iron bars.
The blows were being administered on the back, in the buttocks, in the thighs, in the face, shoulders. During the torture they would be made to lie facing down or up and besides the beating, water would be poured on their bodies. A cloth was used to cover Robson Chere’s face as water was being poured over the face creating a drowning sensation.
Robson Chere was tortured the most with threats to rape his wife and abduct his children should the country experience demonstrations during the SADC Summit. All the human rights defenders experienced psychological torture and threats.
The torturers were recording the torture with their mobile phones. The torture went on for hours at the airport.
At all material times during the abduction and torture at the airport, the HRDs were denied access to their lawyers and their mobile phones and a laptop were forcibly seized from them.
The accused were later transferred after incommunicado detention to the police at Harare Central. It is only after their transfer to Harare Central Police Station that the accused were allowed to consult their lawyers.” Zimbabwean human rights lawyer and activist, Arnold Tsunga, told Daily Maverick.
Civil Society Organisations including Southern Defenders, We Lead and the Zimbabwe National Students Union condemned the violence Zimbabwean activists face.
In a statement, the organisations said that working in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe, they were deeply troubled by the arbitrary arrest of human rights defenders at Robert Mugabe International Airport on July 31, 2024.
“As a result of the dragnet approach, they also arrested an innocent artist, Vusumuzi Moyo, a renowned sound engineer, who was travelling to Victoria Falls for a concert and is in no way an activist. The detention of rights defenders, while en route to a crucial African philanthropy conference in Victoria Falls, constitutes a blatant disregard for fundamental human rights and democratic principles,” the statement read.
“They said the unwarranted actions of the security forces, who forcibly removed these individuals from a commercial flight, are a gross violation of their personal liberty and professional rights. Holding them incommunicado for eight hours is a cruel and unusual punishment that contravenes both domestic and international law. To subsequently charge them with the frivolous offence of disorderly conduct is a cynical attempt to justify their unlawful detention,” the statement read.
“Zimbabwe is a signatory to the United Nations Charter and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which enshrine the principles of freedom of assembly, association, and expression.
“These fundamental rights are further protected under the Zimbabwean Constitution, sections 58, 59, 60 and 61. The actions taken against these human rights defenders are in direct conflict with these commitments. We condemn this incident as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and silence civil society. It is a chilling reminder of the shrinking space for human rights defenders in Zimbabwe.
“The government’s disregard for the rule of law and its persistent erosion of democratic freedoms are a threat to the nation’s stability and progress. As Zimbabwe prepares to assume the chair of the Southern African Development Community, it is imperative that the government demonstrates its commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law. The arbitrary arrest of these human rights defenders undermines the country’s credibility and its ability to lead the region.
“We urge the government to take concrete steps to protect the rights of human rights defenders and to create an enabling environment for civil society to operate freely. The international community and the region must also play their part in condemning this egregious human rights violation. We call upon regional and international bodies to exert pressure on Zimbabwe to respect the rights of its citizens and to adhere to its domestic and international human rights obligations,” the statement read.
Emma Louise Powell, the DA spokesperson on international relations and cooperation, released a statement saying a clear message of condemnation needed to be sent to the current administration in Zimbabwe.
“The DA calls on the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, to exercise South Africa’s right as a member of Southern African Development Community and urgently demand that the 44th Ordinary Southern African Development Community Summit of Heads State and Government – scheduled to be held on 17 August 2024 in Harare, Zimbabwe, be moved to a different location.
According to Tsunga The UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders issued a tweet (X) calling the Zimbabwean government to release the HRDs. However he said SADC has been indifferent and that no government in SADC has raised any issues with the “brutalisation of citizens and violations of rights.”
Speaking of the role SADC countries should be playing when such incidents happen Tsunga said “The very unfortunate situation is that the torture is being done in order to allow Zimbabwe to host the SADC Summit. I think the SADC must frown that such flagrant violations of human rights are being done in the name of hosting the SADC Summit. It undermines the SADC as a whole and reinforces the notion that the SADC heads of state do not respect the rule of law and judicial oversight. It is regrettable that in 2012, Zimbabwe led the SADC States to disband the SADC Tribunal. It is not permissible for SADC to create a climate of impunity.”
“It is pure paranoia. The Security Sector and the elements of militia who operate with acquiescence of the state have run amok thinking that there may be planned demonstrations before and during the SADC Summit. The charges are trumped up around plans to hold demonstrations ” Tsunga continued.
“The DA makes this call following multiple reports of yet another state-sponsored clampdown on pro-democracy activists by a paranoid Zanu-PF regime, fearing public protests in the lead-up to the summit. The Southern African Development Community’s founding treaty mandates member states to act in accordance with the principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Zanu-PF, the illegitimate regime in Harare, has yet again violated these principles with impunity in the lead-up to the summit,” Powell stated.
She pointed out that recently Jameson Timba (an opposition politician), together with 77 opposition activists, had been detained, held in horrific conditions, and repeatedly denied bail after they were arrested for allegedly holding an “unauthorised political meeting”.
“By abusing state machinery to violate the rights of Zimbabweans, the unrepentant Zanu-PF regime has demonstrated that it is prepared to go to any lengths to violate the law in order to entrench its authoritarian rule. South Africa, and by extension the Southern African Development Community, have an obligation to hold the Zimbabwean government to account. Allowing the summit to proceed under the current circumstances will not only endorse Zanu-PF’s flagrant abuse of international law, but further undermine the principles upon which the Southern African Development Community was established. President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s upcoming Southern African Development Community Chairmanship is testament to the continued failure of regional leaders to hold these political thugs to account,” Powell said.
She added that South Africa, as a leading member of the Southern African Development Community, must now take a firm stand to uphold international law and advocate for the summit to be moved to a location that upholds and respects democratic values.
“This action would send a clear message that South Africa, as a member of the Southern African Development Community, will no longer tolerate the suppression of democratic freedoms on our doorstep,” said Powell.
“It is important for HRDs inside and outside Zimbabwe to remain vigilant and offer practical and active solidarity to Zimbabwean HRDs including temporary relocations until then”, Tsunga said. – Daily Maverick
