Police in Zimbabwe have released 78 civil rights protestors arrested earlier this week for demonstrating for a new Constitution, a rights group official said on Friday.
Douglas Mwonzora, the vice chairperson of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) said 77 protestors were released on Thursday after paying fines, but NCA chairperson Lovemore Madhuku was only released on Friday.
”He has been charged with conduct likely to lead to riots,” said Mwonzora. He said the NCA chairperson appeared at a court on Friday and was freed after paying 10 000 Zimbabwe dollars ($12) bail.
On Wednesday at least 100 NCA demonstrators were arrested as they tried to hold a demonstration in a central Harare park. Some of them claim to have been beaten while in police custody.
The NCA has since 1999 been campaigning for a new constitution. In 2000 it successfully lobbied Zimbabweans to reject a proposed constitution drafted by a state-appointed commission.
The group continues to hold regular demonstrations against the government. Demonstrations without police permission are illegal under the country’s strict Public Order and Security Act (POSA). ‒ Sapa-AFP