Zimbabwe Police Arrest 18 Activists Amid Crackdown on Opposition Protests

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Harare, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwean police have arrested 18 political activists, including some who were forcibly removed from a plane, according to their lawyers on Thursday.

This marks the latest government crackdown ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare later this month.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) group reported representing the activists, who were detained on Wednesday. Among them is Namatai Kwekweza, a 25-year-old pro-democracy advocate and the first recipient of the Kofi Annan NextGen Democracy Prize in 2023. The award is given by the late United Nations Secretary-General’s foundation to young individuals dedicated to democratic principles.

Amnesty International has condemned the arrests, while the Kofi Annan Foundation expressed deep concern over the incident.

Kwekweza and three other activists were removed from a plane on the tarmac at Robert Mugabe International Airport in Harare. Additionally, 14 activists were arrested the same day for protesting in another town. The four activists taken off the plane face charges of disorderly conduct related to a courthouse protest in late June, where they demanded the release of 77 opposition party members held in pre-trial detention for over six weeks.

These 77 activists were initially arrested during a barbecue at a party leader’s house, with police alleging they gathered “with the intent to promote violence, breaches of peace, or bigotry.” Among those detained were a mother and her 1-year-old baby.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who succeeded Robert Mugabe following a 2017 coup, has been accused of employing tactics similar to Mugabe’s in suppressing political dissent. Mugabe had ruled Zimbabwe for 37 years since its independence. Since Mnangagwa, 81, assumed the presidency, numerous opposition members, university students, and labor unionists have faced arrest.

Mnangagwa denies allegations of oppression but has warned the opposition against inciting violence. Authorities are taking measures to quell any new protests ahead of the SADC leaders’ summit in Harare on August 17.

Earlier this year, the United States sanctioned Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s first lady, and others for alleged involvement in gold and diamond smuggling and human rights abuses.

Source: AP