ZIMBABWE CRACKDOWN: Amnesty Int’l says children being held as bail for jailed activist pastor is deferred

The crackdown on anti-government protesters in Zimbabwe over a hike in fuel prices is still ongoing in the country with Amnesty International calling for a stop to violence on civilians.

The international body also claimed that children as young as 11 had been detained along with hundreds others.

“The authorities must immediately stop this merciless crackdown on activists, civil society leaders and others who are guilty of nothing more than exercising their right to freedom of expression,” Amnesty’s Deprose Muchena said in a statement.

Read also: US Senate hands Trump rare double rebuke over war in Yemen, murder of Khashoggi

“The authorities must ensure that those who violated and continue to violate human rights face justice.”

In a related development, the bail application for arrested activist pastor Evan Mawarire has been deferred to next week by a High Court.

The embattled pastor was arrested on charges of subversion and has denied accusations that his Facebook video encouraging Zimbabweans to heed a strike call by the Zimbabwe Confederation of Trade Unions incited people to violence.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now