The Progressive Alliance is deeply concerned by the escalating human rights situation in Zimbabwe, as signalled by the arbitrary arrest of Senator Timba and 78 other members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC). The activists were violently arrested at Senator Timba’s private residence, where they were commemorating the Day of the African Child on June 16, 2024, resulting in several injuries.
Despite meeting at a private venue, the 79 activists were unfairly accused of participating in an “unlawful” gathering under Section 37 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act. The activists have also been denied bail and have been incarcerated since June 16 2024, despite the Constitutional guarantees on the right to bail. Several other individuals including the wife of one of the incarcerated activists were also arrested during court proceedings in Harare for expressing solidarity with the incarcerated activists.
The latest arrests demonstrate the further shrinking democratic space in Zimbabwe, where opposition figures and dissenting voices are targeted by the authorities. The Progressive Alliance calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to respect constitutionally guaranteed freedoms of assembly, expression, and association. Promoting and upholding human rights is universally any government’s duty.
