On 1 August, four pro-democracy activists were charged in Zimbabwe for demonstrating in support of opposition leader and head of the Coalition for Change (CCC) party Jameson Timba and dozens of that same opposition party, who were arrested in mid-June for taking part in an “illegal meeting”.

The human rights activists arrested include human rights campaigner Namatai Kwekweza, winner of the 2023 Kofi Annan Foundation Prize, and teacher and trade union leader Robson Chere. They were taken off a plane by unidentified persons at Harare airport, in Zimbabwe’s capital, on their way to a citizens’ conference in the north-west of the country. 

AfricTivistes joins a number of African civil society organisations in supporting Zimbabwean activists who have been facing a wave of arrests since the disputed presidential election in August 2023. 

It should be recalled that armed police in riot gear disrupted the Zimbabwe National Students’ Association annual meeting in Harare on 24th July. Police forces tortured two human rights activists working for the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) on 29th July. The two were accused of mobilising people to demonstrate in the run-up to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State Summit to be held in Harare from 14th to 18th August.

AfricTivistes strongly condemns these arbitrary detentions, which are a serious infringement of freedom of expression and assembly and an impediment to the exercise of rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Zimbabwe and international treaties.

We call for the immediate release of the detained pro-democracy activists and advocates and for the Zimbabwean authorities to drop the charges against them for expressing their views.

AfricTivistes believes that freedom of demonstration, peaceful assembly and expression are fundamental pillars of democracy that must be protected and preserved at all times.

In accordance with Article 4 of the SADC Charter on Fundamental Social Rights and in the run-up to the 44th Ordinary Session of the Heads of State of this regional community, we therefore call on the Zimbabwean government to treat its citizens with respect and to put an end to all forms of censorship, violence, arrest, etc. aimed at silencing critical voices.

Lastly, we call on the SADC Heads of State to relocate the summit to another country that is more mindful of fundamental rights provided that there are strong guarantees from Zimbabwe authorities that human rights will be respected.