The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), a not-for-profit human rights organization which seeks to foster a culture of human rights in Zimbabwe, has condemned the police for assaulting a Harare-based human rights lawyer.
ZLHR speaks after reports that Kudzai Kadzere was assaulted with “truncheons and fists” on Saturday while he was attending to opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) officials who were detained at Budiriro 2 Police Station.
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Kadzere spoke to the Law Society of Zimbabwe (LSZ) and confirmed the assault.
In a statement seen by Pindula News, ZLHR Kadzere sustained a fractured hand. Reads the statement:
In Zimbabwe, this is how Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) treat legal practitioners. Our member lawyer Kudzai Kadzere sustained some injuries including a fractured hand after he was ambushed by about 40 police officers in Budiriro high-density suburb & was heavily assaulted, when he went to Budiriro Police Station to represent his clients, who had been arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). Police officers used truncheons & fists to assault the human rights lawyer.
Over the years, police have been criticised for brutality against members of the opposition and government critics.