Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the arrest of 25 members of a political opposition party in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwean police allegedly assaulted members of the Citizen’s Coalition for Change (CCC) while they were attending a private meeting in Budiriro, Harare.

Members of parliament for Mkoba and Budiriro, Amos Chibaya and Costa Machingauta, were among those arrested.

The 25 individuals were charged under section 37 of the Criminal Code.

AI’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, said in a statement that the arrest is against the rights to privacy, liberty, security of persons and freedom of expression.

‘The arrest of members of a political opposition party simply for holding a meeting at a private residence is a shameless assault by Zimbabwean authorities against the rights to privacy, to liberty and security of persons and to freedom of expression’, Mwangovya said.

‘Their chilling message is unmistakable. It is clear that Zimbabwe authorities will go after anyone who dares oppose them in the upcoming elections’.

Mwangovya called for the immediate release of the individuals, adding that all charges against them must be dropped.

She also noted that it is also disgraceful that the police tried to deny individuals their human right to have access to counsel by physically assaulting their lawyer as he tried to confer with his clients.

‘The lawyer should not have been attacked simply for discharging his function of defending his clients. Lawyers should not be identified with their clients or their clients’ causes as a result of discharging their functions’, she added.

Zimbabwean law requires political parties to notify authorities two weeks before holding a political meeting.

However, according to the CCC, their gathering was a private meeting held at the residence of one of its members.

Photo source: Amnesty International