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ACTION URGENTE AVOCAT   ZIMBABWE 10 février 2009 Roselyn Hanzi and Tawanda Zhuwarara,                          avocats et travaillent sur les projets du ZLHR, arrêtés  après une manifestation pacifique devant le Parlement à Harare. .     MAJ : Roselyn Hanzi et Tawanda Zhuwarara ainsi que les  huit membres de WOZA ont été libérés sous caution dans la soirée du 12 février 2009, après avoir passé deux nuits en détention. Roselyn Hanzi et   Tawanda Zhuwarara et huit membres de Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) ont été acquittés le 28 mai 2009 Source : ZLHR and FRONTLINE (lettre)

Le 11 février 2009, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) a lancé une Alerte Défenseurs des Droits de l'Homme :

 

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) wishes to express its concern and condemn the ongoing harassment of human rights defenders through indiscriminate arrests and detention.

 

ZLHR unreservedly condemns the now commonplace and illegal phenomenon of members of the ZRP indiscriminately and without reasonable suspicion arresting and detaining innocent civilians and then denying lawyers access to their clients and barring them from taking proper instructions.
The arrest and detention of lawyers together with alleged WOZA members is a clear indication that basic freedoms in the country remain circumscribed; that the continued detention and violation of such rights occurred at the very time that the inclusive government was being established merely indicates that we have a long way to go before there is return to the rule of law and respect for the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

ZLHR further remains gravely concerned that Parliament allowed itself to be used in the facilitation of a criminal offence, whereby unlawful arrests and detention were perpetuated as the lawyers were detained on its premises.

The continued breach of various provisions of the Interparty Political Agreement signed on 15 September 2008, in which the three political parties represented in Parliament undertook to protect the security of persons and to ensure that fundamental rights and freedoms would be respected, must be condemned in the strongest of terms.

ZLHR calls upon the police and the appropriate commanding authorities to see to it that immediate action is taken to release Ms Hanzi and Mr Zhuwarara together with the WOZA members and that the offending individuals are made to answer for their unlawful actions.

Your Excellency,

I am concerned following reports that two members of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), Ms Roselyn Hanzi and Mr Tawanda Zhuwarara, and eight members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) were arrested on 10 February 2009 by unidentified members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). Roselyn Hanzi and Tawanda Zhuwarara are project lawyers with ZLHR.

The eight members of WOZA arrested are: Ms Nelia Hambarume, Ms Clara Bongwe,Ms Auxilia Tarumbwa, Ms Gracy Mutambachirimo, Ms Linda Moyo, Ms Keure Chikomo, Ms Edina Saidi, and Ms Kundai Mupfukudzwa.

On 10 February 2009, unidentified members of the ZRP arrested eight members of WOZA following a peaceful demonstration organised by WOZA outside the Parliament building in Harare. On their way back to their office, which is next to the Parliament building, Roselyn Hanzi and Tawanda Zhuwarara were also arrested by unidentified members of the ZRP. Both were detained in the Parliament Guard Room before being moved to Harare Central police station.

Lawyers were not allowed access to them and were ordered out of the premises of the police station by Superintendent Chinhengo. Roselyn Hanzi and Tawanda Zhuwarara were detained overnight without being told what the reason of their arrest was, despite ZLHR's attempts to have them released.

On 11 February 2009, they were allowed access to ZLHR lawyers. Members of the Law and Order section acknowledged that Roselyn Hanzi and Tawanda Zhuwarara had been “caught in the crossfire” of the arrests of demonstrators. Nevertheless, Detective Assistant Inspector Phiri and DC Musadema were still instructed by Detective Inspector Elliot Muchada to charge them, as well as the eight members of WOZA who had been arrested outside Parliament, under section 37 (1) (b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.

I believe that the arrest and detention of the aforementioned members of ZLHR and WOZA is directly related to their work in the defence of human rights. I am concerned that this forms part of an ongoing trend of harassment by the ZRP against human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, especially against those wishing to exercise their right to demonstrate peacefully.

I urge the authorities in Zimbabwe to:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release all of the aforementioned members of ZLHR and WOZA, as Front Line believes that they are being held solely as a result of their legitimate and peaceful work in the defence of human rights;

2. Carry out an immediate, thorough and impartial investigation into the arrest and detention of the aforementioned members of ZLHR and WOZA ;

3. Ensure that the treatment of the aforementioned members of ZLHR and WOZA while in detention adheres to all those conditions set out in the Basic Principles for Treatment of Prisoners, adopted by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990;

4. Take measures to end all intimidation of human rights defenders in Zimbabwe so that they are free to continue with their activities in defence of human rights without fear of reprisal.

Yours sincerely