Several beaten and some jailed after the opposition leader in Zimbabwe was refused bail

Following their arrests two weeks ago, members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party were granted bail, therefore on Thursday, Zimbabwean police beat up to fifty opposition supporters and took many into custody outside a court in the country’s capital, Harare.

Jameson Timba, the party’s acting leader, and the 78 activists who were detained on June 16 for organizing a political rally that was deemed unlawful by the police were both refused bail by a Harare magistrate.

Following Nelson Chamisa’s January departure from the CCC, Timba assumed the role of acting leader of the party, claiming it had been taken over by the ZANU-PF party in power.

The court’s entry was secured by police anti-riot units, and the arrests took place hours after President Emmerson Mnangagwa threatened to “deal with” anyone he thought was stirring trouble.

A Reuters reporter witnessed the arrest of a lady brandishing a banner calling for the activists’ release, while some were forced into police vans and others managed to escape from officers brandishing batons.

The protestors’ attorney, Agency Gumbo, informed reporters outside of court following the online bail hearing that the activists had been denied release due to fears they would disrupt public order and obstruct state witnesses.

Gumbo declared that his group would file an appeal with the higher court.
“We don’t believe there are any compelling reasons to deny the accused persons bail.”