Pastor Evan Mawarire was transferred from Harare Remand Prison to Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. This happened without his lawyers being notified. Members of the movement that he started, #ThisFlag had gone with food for Pastor Evan Mawarire when they were notified that he was transferred to Chikurubi Maximum Prison, which normally houses convicted murders, armed robbers and rapists among other felons.
Mawarire is yet to be convicted of any crime, and his trial is set to start on the 17th of February 2017. He was denied bail yesterday at the Magistrate’s Court and has been asked to apply for bail at the High Court.
One of his lawyers Advocate Fadzayi Mahere decried the state of prison cells in Zimbabwe saying:
Police cells are awful.
Remand prison is inhuman.
Chikurubi serious crimes section is hell.
She also decried the fact that in Zimbabwe, innocent people are condemned while the guilty walk free. Speaking on her Facebook page, Mahere said:
Pastor Evan Mawarire has been classified as a “D” Class remand prisoner and is being detained at Chikurubi Prison where convicted murderers are held instead of the normal remand holding centre.
This is not about Pastor E as an individual but it’s a battle for the soul of Zimbabwe. Are we a constitutional democracy – where free speech, free assembly, free conscience and political rights are respected – or not?
Do we speak out or do we choose apathy?
Do we hold onto disappointment that he chose family over fame – or do we rally behind what his incarceration represents for us as a country?
Police cells are awful.
Remand prison is inhuman.
Chikurubi serious crimes section is hell.The injustice of his circumstances require unity on our part. This is offensive to the core.
This is a country where the innocent face prison and real criminals walk free.