On 16 June, police arrested and arbitrarily detained 79 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members, including interim party leader Jameson Timba. The group had gathered at Jameson Timba’s house to commemorate the International Day of the African Child. On 17 June, police charged the detainees with “gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct.” One person was given bail and 2 minors were released, while 76 activists remain in remand as they await court proceedings. The Zimbabwean authorities must immediately and unconditionally release all 76 CCC members and drop all the politically motivated charges against them.
Sign onto the below letter to demand the release of arbitrarily detained opposition members: Citizens Coalition for Change members in Zimbabwe.
Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi
Minister of Justice. Legal and Parliamentary Affairs
Harare, Zimbabwe
Dear Honourable Ziyambi Ziyambi,
On 16 June, police arrested and arbitrarily detained 79 Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members, including interim party leader Jameson Timba, who had gathered at Jameson Timba’s house to commemorate the International Day of the African Child. The arrest and arbitrary detention of the CCC members while exercising their rights to freedom of association, expression and peaceful assembly is deeply concerning.
During their arrest, the police used baton sticks and fired teargas at the group, resulting in injuries; including an extensive injury to one member which required surgery. 79 members were originally arrested and remanded, but two minors have since been released and one person granted bail. On 17 June, the 79 members who remain detained were charged with “gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct’ and held for over 48 hours in custody before appearing before a court on 18 June, in violation of the country’s Criminal Procedure and Evidence act which states that ‘any person who is arrested or detained must be brought before a court as soon as possible and in any event not later than forty-eight hours after the arrest took place or the detention began,’. On 27 June, the group were denied bail on the grounds that they will ‘commit similar offences if released’. On 17 July, the 76 members’ bail application was dismissed by the High Court.
I have noted a worrying trend of suppression of civic space and intimidation and harassment of activists and opposition politicians ahead of the 44th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads State and Government, due to take place on 17 August. Your government has warned against “criminal and opportunistic elements within the opposition, certain politicians, and some civil society organisations” and threatened to use law enforcement to crackdown on human rights.
In light of the above, I call on you to ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the 76 Citizens Coalition for Change members (including Jameson Timba) and drop all charges against them as they are detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights. I further urge you and the authorities to uphold and ensure respect for the human rights of everyone in the country including the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly as enshrined in Zimbabwe’s Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Yours sincerely,
Amnesty International South Africa Supporter
