Zimbabwe: We Will Continue the Fight for a Better Democratic Zimbabwe – Human Rights Defenders Say After Release From Pretrial Detention

PRO-DEMOCRACY activists, Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere and Samuel Gwenzi, cut distraught but relieved figures as they walked through the corrugated gates of Chikurubi Prison, Wednesday night.

This marked an end to 35 days of pre-trial detention after last month they were ejected from a plane at Robert Gabriel Mugabe airport.

Following their arrest, the human rights defenders were subjected to torture and mistreatment before they were located at the Harare Central Police station.

Despite facing hurdles in securing bail the activists were eventually granted US$150 bail by the High Court.

Upon their release, Kwekweza said she is relieved after enduring over a month behind bars.

“For me, it is a deep sense of relief that after 36 days I am able to go home to my family, my friends and the whole community. I think it is just an issue of being able to realise that what has happened to us has been happening across the country.

“I think we should not take away attention from so many people, especially the 79 who are still in prison. I am very excited to continue to fight. I am very energetic,” said Kwekweza.

The activists were among over 100 arrested in a crackdown that preceded the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit.

The detention and subsequent torture of the activists received international condemnation.

Trade Unionist Chere described the physical and psychological toll of his imprisonment.

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“I am still having some pains after the torture that I experienced. I still have some inner pains especially the left side of my chest. I managed to have access to my medical practitioners. However, I still need to go through further medical examinations to assess the extent of the damage and injuries that I suffered.

“I was arrested, I was tortured, I was imprisoned but what was arrested and detained was my physical body and my conscience is clear and remains clear. It was not destined and nothing has changed,” said Chere.

Former opposition councillor, Gwenzi also said their resolve is unbroken despite the detention.

“I am very relieved after spending so much time in prison. I hope we will continue the fight. We will not stop. We want a better democratic Zimbabwe where the rule of law exists. I am okay but it has been a difficult time.

“It is high time the civic society and human rights defenders need to plan far more than the authoritarian regime that finds ourselves in prison. I think the judge today exposed the hypocrisy in the governance system of this country,” said Gwenzi.

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