CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS AND OPPOSITION MEMBER
OF PARLIAMENT DETAINED AND ABUSED IN CUSTODY

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Demand an End to Mistreatment of Rights Defenders in Zimbabwe

January 17, 2025

The Lawyers Committee for Human Rights has once again received reports about the mistreatment of civil society activists and an opposition Member of Parliament in Zimbabwe. We were gravely concerned to learn of the detention of Gabriel Shumba, a lawyer and member of the Zimbabwean Human Rights NGO Forum, along with Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Member of Parliament Job Sikhala earlier this week. Both Mr. Shumba and Mr. Sikhala allege that they were subjected to serious physical mistreatment in custody. In addition, four representatives of the Combined Harare Residents’ Association (CHRA) were detained and severely beaten, in a separate incident. The Lawyers Committee demands an immediate end to all assaults upon human rights defenders, civil society representatives and members of the opposition in Zimbabwe. We demand a prompt and thorough investigation into these particular incidents and the prosecution and punishment of those responsible.

According to reports received, Gabriel Shumba was detained in St Mary’s, Chitungwiza, on January 14, along with his brother, Bishop Shumba, and MDC Member of Parliament, Job Sikhala. The three were later moved to Mbare Police Station and then to Harare Law and Order Section. They were denied access to legal representatives until a court order was issued during the night of January 15. The following day, they appeared before a judge and Mr. Sikhala gave details of being beaten, electrocuted and forced to swallow urine and another noxious liquid while being interrogated by the police about a recent arson attack. Following these statements, the judge ordered that he and Mr. Shumba be given medical treatment for their injuries in Parirenyatwa Hospital. Today, Friday January 17, Gabriel Shumba gave further details of his own subjection to electric shocks and other physical ill-treatment at the hands of the police. Subsequently, all three detainees were released on bail and the surrender of their passports. It appears that they have been charged with violating the Public Order and Security Act, Zimbabwe’s security legislation that contains repressive provisions in contravention of basic rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

In a separate incident on January 14, Farai Barnabas Mangodza, Jameson Gadzirayi, Joseph Rose and Richard Mubekwe, members of the Combined Harare Residents Association, were detained in Kuwadzana. The four reported that they were held by members of a youth militia and severely beaten for approximately two hours. They were then removed from the control of the militia by local police and further detained until agreeing to sign admissions of guilt to a charge of “behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace.” It was only after signing these admissions and the payment of Z$5000 each that they were able to get medical attention.

The detention of and acts of violence against civil society and opposition representatives is a common occurrence in Zimbabwe. In the midst of a political, economic and humanitarian crisis, rather than encourage and support the work of independent civil society groups like the Human Rights NGO Forum and the CHRA, which provide essential services to the population, the Zimbabwean government instead subjects such groups to constant persecution, in total disregard for basic rights and the provisions of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, 1998. This Declaration recognizes the crucial role played by human rights organizations in any country, and requires that the work of such organizations and individual human rights defenders be promoted, and that they be protected from attack.

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Please write to the Zimbabwean authorities demanding an end to the persecution of human rights defenders, opposition representatives and civil society groups. Express your alarm at the serious mistreatment of Gabriel Shumba, Job Sikhala, Farai Barnabas Mangodza, Jameson Gadzirayi, Joseph Rose and Richard Mubekwe and demand that all charges against them be dropped. Call for a full investigation into the alleged torture and ill-treatment that these individuals were subjected to while in custody, and the prosecution and punishment of all persons found responsible.

Click here to send an electronic version of this letter through the Lawyers Committee’s Action Center