Thanks to the intervention by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Monday 14 January 2019 set free a pro-democracy campaigner, who had endured two nights in police detention after he was arrested during the weekend for allegedly recording a video at
Robert Mugabe International Airport.
The 26 year-old Makomborero Haruzivishe was arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police officers on Saturday 12 January 2019 for allegedly recording a video in a restricted area as defined in section 4(3)(5)(6) of the Protected Places and Areas Act.
Prosecutors claimed that Haruzivishe on Friday 11 January 2019 unlawfully recorded a video of a meeting he held with Evans Siziba, the Assistant Regional Immigration Officer and other state security officers without the authority, permission and clearance of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) using an unknown gadget.
The meeting was reportedly held after Haruzivishe visited Robert Mugabe International Airport to enquire about the detention of some of his colleagues by some immigration officials at the airport.
Prosecutors claimed that after recording the video, Haruzivishe uploaded the video on social media including on his Twitter account in defiance of directives issued by Gilbert Chimoto, who is employed by CAAZ as an aviation security officer.
The State charged that the video allegedly recorded by Haruzivishe had gone viral on social media and is a threat on the security of the Robert Mugabe International Airport.
Haruzivishe, who was represented by Gift Mtisi of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, was set free on Monday 14 January 2019 after he was granted bail amounting to $50 by Harare Magistrate Barbara Mateko, who ordered him not to interfere with state witnesses and to continue residing at his given residential address as part of his bail conditions.
The human rights defenders, on Monday 19 January 2019, deployed lawyers to offer emergency legal support services to 12 people who were arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) officers in Harare following protests held over the country’s worsening economic crisis.
In Mabvuku high density suburb, ZLHR deployed lawyers to offer emergency legal support services to nine people who were arrested by ZRP officers while in Goromonzi North, ZLHR is attending to three people, who were arrested by the law enforcement agents.
ZLHR has also received reports that some people were hospitalised after sustaining injuries as they were assaulted and shot at as Zimbabwean authorities clamped down on protesters.