AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT 2016/17

for six hours before being released without
charge.
Freelancer Godwin Mangudya and three
Alpha Media Holding (AMH) journalists –
Elias Mambo, Tafadzwa Ufumeli and Richard
Chidza – were briefly detained at the
Marimba police station for covering protests
in the suburb of Mufakose on 6 July. Police
officers released them after ordering them to
delete images of the protests.
Mugove Tafirenyika, a journalist with the
Daily News, was assaulted at the ZANU-PF
headquarters by party supporters on 27 July
while covering a war veterans’ meeting.
On 3 August, seven journalists – Lawrence
Chimunhu and Haru Mutasa of Al Jazeera,
and Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, Christopher
Mahove, Tendayi Musiya, Bridget Mananavire
and Imelda Mhetu – were assaulted by police
while covering demonstrations against
government plans to introduce bond notes.
All seven were released without charge.
On 24 August, freelance journalist Lucy
Yasin was assaulted by riot police while
covering a march by the opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T)
and Tendai Mandimika, a freelance journalist,
was arrested and charged with public
violence.
On 31 August, Crispen Ndlovu, a
Bulawayo-based freelance photojournalist,
was arrested and assaulted by riot police for
taking pictures of police as they assaulted
Alfred Dzirutwe in Bulawayo. He was charged
with criminal nuisance and beaten up in a
truck and later admitted to a private hospital
for treatment of the injuries sustained.
In August, security and intelligence officers
dressed in military attire made several visits
to Trevor Ncube, the publisher of Alpha
Media Holdings (AMH), in a clear attempt to
intimidate him.
Social media
The authorities attempted to stifle social
media.
In April, President Mugabe threatened to
introduce laws to restrict access to the
internet.
In August, in response to the rising
discontent expressed on social media, the
authorities introduced a draft bill on
Computer and Cyber Crimes to curb antigovernment
criticism. The bill had not
become law by the end of the year.
During a national stay-away on 6 July in
protest against corruption, fronted by the
social media movement #ThisFlag, social
media apps such as WhatsApp were shut
down by the government.
REPRESSION OF DISSENT
Activists and human rights defenders were
subjected to intimidation, harassment and
arrests by the authorities and the youth wing
of the ruling ZANU-PF party with impunity.
In July alone, 332 people were arrested in
connection with anti-government protests.
Hundreds were arrested across the country
for participating in demonstrations organized
by the National Electoral Reform Agenda
(NERA), a coalition of 18 political parties
campaigning for electoral reform. Organizers
of the protests were assaulted the night
before the demonstrations.
During celebrations of Independence Day
in April, state security agents brutally
assaulted and arrested Patson Dzamara for
staging a one-man demonstration by raising a
placard in front of President Mugabe. He was
protesting the abduction and disappearance
of his brother, Itai Dzamara, in March 2015.
Patson Dzamara was later released without
charge. However, in November, he was
abducted by armed men shortly before an
anti-government protest and severely beaten.
About 105 people were arrested and
charged with public violence when workers
on commuter omnibuses went on strike on 4
July in Bulawayo and Harare and barricaded
roads with stones and burning tyres. They
were later released on bail.
Evan Mawarire, leader of the #ThisFlag
movement, was arrested by police on 12 July
and charged with inciting public violence.
While in court, the state changed the charges
to “subverting a constitutionally elected
government”. He was released after the
magistrate ruled the change of charges illegal
406 Amnesty International Report 2016/17