Zimbabwean police in Harare have arrested 25 members, including a minor, of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party for holding a meeting considered illegal on Saturday at the home of MP Costa Machingauta. They appeared in court yesterday.
Lawyer Willard Mandinde told the press that the arrest is in regard to “the violation of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, which relates to participation in an unlawful assembly for the purpose of promoting or inciting public violence”.
For its part, the opposition CCC party reacted to the arrest, which it described as planned to persecute its members, claiming that it was a private meeting.
The defense lawyer said he was assaulted by riot police on Saturday as he approached the Harare police station where the activists were being held.
The police refused to comment on the matter and did not give an indication of whether the said MP was among those who appeared in court.