Independent human rights experts have called on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately release several human rights defenders who have been arbitrarily detained for over two weeks and to drop the charges against them.
This appeal comes as more than 100 pro-democracy activists remain in detention, with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit set to begin tomorrow in Harare.
The experts making the call include Mary Lawlor, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders; Irene Khan, Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression; Gina Romero, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association; Aua Baldé (Chair-Rapporteur); Gabriella Citroni (Vice-Chair); Grażyna Baranowska; and Ana Lorena Delgadillo Pérez, members of the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances.
These Special Rapporteurs are part of the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council, the largest body of independent experts within the UN Human Rights system. Special Procedures are responsible for independently investigating human rights violations and reporting to the Council.
The call by these independent experts follows a similar appeal recently made by the UN Human Rights Commission.
Among the detained are women’s human rights defender Namatai Kwekweza, labour rights advocate Robson Chere (Secretary-General of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe), Harare Ward 5 Councillor Samuel Gwenzi, and Bulawayo Ward 22 Councillor Mmeli ‘Bruce’ Moyo.
Kwekweza, Chere, Gwenzi, and sound engineer Vusumuzi Moyo were forcibly removed from a departing flight at Harare Airport on July 31, 2024, by unidentified men.
The independent experts highlighted that the activists were taken to a high-security zone within the airport and held incommunicado for eight hours, during which they were reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance, torture, and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, including waterboarding. They were also threatened not to protest during the SADC summit scheduled for August 17-19, 2024, in Harare.
“The enforced disappearance, incommunicado detention, and torture, followed by the arbitrary detention of these human rights defenders, is inexcusable. It not only violates international human rights law but also makes a mockery of the safeguards contained in Zimbabwe’s own Constitution,” the experts said in a joint statement.
These human rights activists face charges of “disorderly conduct” under Section 41 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, allegedly linked to their participation in a demonstration calling for the release of a detained opposition politician, Jameson Timba, who was arrested with over 70 others on June 16, 2024.
However, Kwekweza was reportedly not even in Zimbabwe at the time of the demonstration in question.
In Bulawayo, Councillor Mmeli Moyo, facing charges of incitement to commit public violence, was remanded in custody until August 30, 2024, as the State requested more time to investigate allegations made by his defence counsel. Moyo’s legal team has claimed that he has been denied fundamental rights, including visitations, food, and medical care, which have reportedly affected his mental health.
The independent experts condemned these as “baseless charges” used as a “fig leaf” to target human rights defenders and opposition voices advocating for democracy, human rights, and accountability in Zimbabwe.
“At a time when Zimbabwe is preparing to host the SADC summit, whose values include democratic, legitimate, and effective institutions, it is unconscionable that these human rights defenders, who work to strengthen such institutions, remain arbitrarily detained,” the experts added.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) reported that the release of Kwekweza, Chere, and Gwenzi on bail has been opposed by the State, which cited concerns that they have a propensity to commit further offences, that their release could cause public despondency, and that they might interfere with state witnesses.
ZLHR also reported that 12 individuals in Gokwe were arrested on Friday for allegedly participating in an anti-government demonstration where they voiced opposition to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his government, particularly his assumption of the SADC Chairperson position at the upcoming summit.
The human rights lawyers further revealed that former Budiriro Member of Parliament Costa Machingauta, who was abducted on Thursday night, was later found in holding cells after being held incommunicado. Machingauta is now charged with public violence and has complained that his minor children were assaulted during his abduction, according to the lawyers.
