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Don't
imprison to investigate
On 16 October,
Women of Zimbabwe Arise held a demonstration
in Bulawayo to demand government action on the nationwide food crisis.
Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu were arrested, and were remanded
in custody until Tuesday 21 October. When they went for their remand
hearing, they were told the court is “very busy,” and
they were remanded in custody until Friday 24 October. On that day,
they were told the Magistrate was at a workshop, and were remanded
in custody until Monday 27 October. On that day, the Magistrate
denied them bail, saying that it would not be “in the best
interests of justice” to release them. They were finally released
on bail on 6 November, after a successful application to the High
Court.
The pair were
charged under Section 37 1(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification
and Reform) Act - ‘disturbing the peace, security or order
of the public’.
They endured
the terrible conditions at Mlondolozi Female Prison. Cells are overcrowded
and full of lice, and food is extremely limited. Prisoners receive
only a small amount of sadza with green vegetable cooked in water
– no salt or any other form of nutrition. The lack of salt
is particularly worrying given the extreme heat being experienced
at the moment. Prison guards also routinely insult inmates. Days
before their release, Magodonga was put in the same cell as mental
health patients. As well as serving as a remand prison, Mlondolozi
also houses convicted prisoners and mental health patients that
have committed crimes. The apparent cause of this separation was
that prison authorities believed the pair to be homosexual because
Jenni was observed massaging medicated gel into the injuries Magodonga
received when she was beaten.
This extended
period in remand happens just months after Williams and Mahlangu
spent over a month in difficult conditions in Chikurubi Female Prison,
when they were also remanded in custody following a protest in May
of this year.
Show
your outrage!
- Email the
Ministry of Home Affairs on moha@gvt.co.zw
or fax +263 4 707231 and demand that the Zimbabwe Republic Police
(ZRP) stops arresting peaceful demonstrators who are only exercising
their Constitutional right to freedom of expression.
- Phone the
Ministry of Justice on +263 4 734920/4 or complete their online
form and demand that government does not imprison to investigate
– and that they improve the conditions in Zimbabwe’s
prisons.
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