Pro-democracy campaigner, Makomborero Haruzivishe has said Zimbabwean jails have 60 political prisoners who are victims of the ruling ZANU PF’s capture of the judiciary.
In Twitter posts seen by Pindula News, Haruzivishe who himself has in the past been detained for a prolonged period of time says the ruling party was weaponising the law. He said:
60 Zimbabweans are in jail not because they are criminals, they are imprisoned because they are political activists. They are in jail because ZanuPf weaponized the law against them. They are in bondage because of a captured justice system.
Haruzivishe who is a member of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) had earlier posted on the same platform demanding the release of them all and an end to judicial capture. Read his initial post:
#MRP9 were convicted to 36 months for protesting #NoToPoliceBrutality. 34 apostolic sect members have over 4 months in pretrial detention for protesting #NoToPoverty. #Nyatsime17 have spent 119 days in pretrial incarceration for demanding #JusticeForMoreblessingAli.
The ruling ZANU PF party, however, denies allegations that it influences court decisions saying the judiciary is independent of the executive.
Zengeza West Member of Parliament (MP), Job Sikhala and Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North MP) are among the people arrested and detained allegedly for political reasons.
They were arrested in June over the 14 June Nyatsime violence which erupted during the funeral wake of slain CCC activist, Moreblessing Ali. They were accused of inciting public violence after they demanded justice for the murdered activist.