Forty-one members of a Zimbabwean civil liberties group, the National Constitutional Alliance (NCA), were arrested in Harare on Wednesday, alliance head Lovemore Madhuku said.
He said the arrests occurred during a protest against the Zimbabwe NGO Bill, a new law that seeks to ban foreign funding for human-rights organisations.
”Some of our members were injured during a police charge and 41 have been arrested,” said Madhuku. ”I have myself been told to report to Harare Central police station to answer questions about organising an illegal protest.”
Under Zimbabwean law, it is illegal to hold public meetings or protests without informing the police.
Madhuku said he could not provide figures on the number of injured.
”It was too confusing. Some are missing and there are four being treated in hospital. Those who ran away were the lucky ones.”
Earlier in the day, the NCA delivered a petition to South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Jeremiah Ndou.
NCA spokesperson Columbus Mavunga said: ”We petitioned the ambassador asking for South African President Thabo Mbeki to take an active position on Zimbabwe.”
He said Zimbabwean police ordered NCA members to disperse from the South African embassy.
Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena said he was ”still checking” if anyone was apprehended and was unable to confirm the 41 arrests. — Sapa