Police formally charge abducted MDC activists from their hospital beds

By:- newzimbabwe

POLICE have formally charged three female MDC Alliance activists who were abducted and tortured by suspected state security agents some two weeks ago for conducting a street demonstration during the country's lockdown period.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights confirmed Tuesday Harare West MP Joanna Mamombe, activists Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova will stand trial for "intent to promote public violence, breach of peace and breaking Covid-19 regulations under Statutory Instrument (SI99) of 2020".

The three are hospitalised at a private Harare hospital when they were allegedly subjected to acts of assault, torture and sexual abuse.

They were allegedly seized from the hands of the police at Harare Central by men who were driving an unmarked Noah and driven to a place outside Harare to face the horrendous acts.

Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told parliament last week the three will face the music for the public demonstration they staged in Harare's Warren Park suburb.

They were protesting over government's failure to provide food and other necessities to millions of citizens who were taken off their sources of income when government decreed its lockdown against the spread of coronavirus.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo said Monday that while the state placed seriousness to claims of abuse by the activists, it would not refrain from its bid to prosecute the young politicians.

The activists have been asked to sign some warned and cautioned statements by the police.

Source:- Bulawayo 24

Coronavirus - Zimbabwe: World Health Organization (WHO) Zimbabwe’s Polio Team supporting Contact Tracing for COVID-19

In Zimbabwe, WHO Zimbabwe’s polio team is providing support to enhance contact tracing for COVID-19. Disease surveillance officers across the country are adapting software to list & trace contacts, with real-time updates.

Coronavirus - Zimbabwe: World Health Organization (WHO) Zimbabwe’s Polio Team supporting Contact Tracing for COVID-19

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Source:- APO on behalf of WHO

Zimbabwe: Drop bogus charges against opposition leaders who suffered sexual assault

Zimbabwe: Drop bogus charges against opposition leaders who suffered sexual assault

27 May 2020

In response to the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s decision to charge three female opposition MDC-Alliance party youth leaders for participating in peaceful protests against hunger during the lockdown period last month, Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa said:

“Joana Mamombe, Cecelia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova are victims of police brutality, sexual assault and enforced disappearance. "

Before charging them for allegedly breaking the lockdown rules, authorities must investigate the crimes against them.
“The charges against these three women are a travesty and ploy to intimidate the opposition and send a chilling message that anyone who challenges the government is putting themselves at risk.

“The Zimbabwean authorities should hold to account those suspected to be responsible for the enforced disappearance and sexual assault of the three female opposition leaders, rather than intimidating them with criminal charges. The charges should be dropped immediately.”

Background

The three leaders from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change – Alliance (MDC-Alliance) were disappeared after they were arrested at a roadblock in Warren Park guarded by police and soldiers on 13 May.

They were part of a demonstration organised against the authorities’ failure to provide social protection for the poor during the COVID-19 lockdown. They were later dropped in Bindura after they were subjected to sexual assault violence used as a method of torture and other human rights violations.

They were charged with participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence and breaches of the peace or bigotry as defined in section 37 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act among others.

Source:- Amnesty International