No Respite As Police Arrest Monitor Again

Ziyera, who is a Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Zimbabwe Election Support Network and Zimbabwe Peace Project Independent Constitutional Monitoring Project (ZZZICOMP) monitor was arrested and detained at Dumba Business Center, Mutasa North Constituency where he had been monitoring a constitution making outreach meeting.

In a statement Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights whose lawyers reacted to Ziyera’s arrest said the monitor was allegedly apprehended after the participants in a meeting at Dumba Business Centre tried to physically attack him as he was regarded as a foreigner in their area.

Although Ziyera identified himself as a ZZZICOMP monitor to David Chimhini, one of the COPAC team leaders, the legislator allegedly proceeded to hand him over to the police under unclear circumstances.

“Ziyera was then detained by the police from 15:00hours and was subsequently transferred to Mutare Law and Order Section after three hours.  When Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyers, Blessing Nyamaropa and Roselyn Hanzi attended at the police station they were advised that no charges had been levelled against the ZZZICOMP monitor.  The police continued to detain Ziyera even after the lawyers produced his accreditation card that had been issued by COPAC,” ZLHR in a statement.

The rights group said a police officer advised them at the police station that the senior police officers at Mutare police station were consulting and verifying with senior police officers in Harare on the way forward.

Ziyera was released into the custody of his lawyers after being detained for almost five hours, on condition that he appears at the Mutare Law and Order Section at 08:00 hours on 24 July, 2010.