The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has condemned the continued incarceration of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) member Job Sikhala on what it said were politically motivated charges.
Sikhala who turned 51 years old on Monday has been in pre-trial detention for over 500 days.
He was arrested on June 13, 2022, after attending the funeral of his fellow party member, Moreblessing Ali who was reported missing for three weeks and later found murdered. He was charged with incitement of violence and disorderly conduct and has been unlawfully detained since then.
ARTUZ president, Obert Masaraure, said charges against Sikhala are politically motivated, solely targeting his peaceful exercise of human rights.
Masaraure said that his prolonged detention is a “grave defeat of justice” and a “disapproving indictment of Zimbabwe’s judicial system.”
Masaraure called on the international community to “vehemently condemn the ongoing harassment against Job Sikhala” and hold the authorities accountable for their actions.
“The authorities have failed to demonstrate the necessity of his continued detention pending trial. We demand his immediate and unconditional release!”
He also noted that Sikhala shares a common ideological inclination with ARTUZ, both embracing a radical approach to solving Zimbabwe’s challenges.
“Just as ARTUZ advocates for transformative change in the education sector, Job Sikhala, a former Geography and History teacher, is known for his steadfast commitment to undertaking the root causes of social and political injustices that plague our society,” Masaraure said.
ARTUZ called on all Zimbabweans to join them in advocating for justice, freedom, and the protection of human rights.
“The oppressive authorities must cease weaponizing the law against opposition figures and ordinary citizens. Every individual should be able to exercise their freedom of expression without fear of reprisals,” Masaraure said.
