The Zimbabwean government has warned that it will continue arresting human rights activists for violating COVID-19 lockdown regulations.
Speaking during an interview with South African television channel eNCA, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Ndavaningi Mangwana said:
Human rights activists or so-called, are not above the law. Lawyers are not above the law, permanent secretaries are not above the law. Anyone who breaks the law has to face their day in court. And this is what’s happening.
This comes after several activists, lawyers, journalists, and members of the MDC Alliance have bee arrested over the past few weeks by authorities.
The latest “victims” are anti-constitutional amendment activists – Namatai Kwekweza aged 21 years, Youngerson Matete aged 29 years and Prince Gora aged 24 years.
The three were last week arrested by police in central Harare and charged with contravening section 37(1)(b) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for allegedly participating in a gathering with intent to promote public violence, breaches of the peace or bigotry.