Scores of Zimbabwean human rights lawyers staged a half-hour demonstration in the capital, Harare, on Wednesday to protest at the assault and harassment of lawyers and judges.
Dressed in their black gowns and some in white T-shirts, the lawyers, including senior attorneys, held placards as they marched from the Supreme Court across the city’s busiest streets during the lunch rush hour.
The demonstration was held to mark World Human Rights Day.
Some of the placards read ”No to torture”, ”Stop harassing judges and lawyers now” and ”Freedom of expression now”.
The demonstration was probably the first street protest by rights activists to be authorised and escorted by police officers since a new security law was introduced in Zimbabwe early this year.
Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights Nokuthula Moyo read a list of more than 10 lawyers who had been ”assaulted and harassed by the police” either in their line of duty or as complainants in 2003.
”The police record for the protection and defence of human rights has been appalling,” she told the protesters at the end of the march in the city’s main park, Harare Gardens.
”No matter how abused we are … we must soldier on until we restore the dignity this country deserves,” she said.
Moyo, however, applauded the police for approving and even providing escort for their protest.
”I hope what has happened is the beginning of good things. We hope from now on our police will start to observe and protect human rights,” she said.
Almost all attempted demonstrations against rights abuses and in support of democratic reforms in Zimbabwe by a host of civic activists this year have been broken up by police. — Sapa-AFP