Zimbabwe: Jailed activists need our help

March 19, 2011
Issue 

Six activists arrested in Harare, along with 39 others, were finally granted bail on March 16 after a month in jail. The activists were arrested for attending a video screening of footage from the people’s uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.

However, the six need to raise US$12,000 to pay their bail — far more than they can afford. An appeal is being launched internationally to raise the funds needed to pay the activists’ bail (see below for details).

The bail conditions require the six to surrender passports and travelling documents. They must report three times a week to the police.

The other 39 activists arrested have been released due to lack of evidence and because their detention resulted from what the court called “dragnet” arrests.

The six still in jail — Munyaradzi Gwisai, Tafadzwa Antonater Choto, Hopewell Gumbo, Tatenda Mombeyarara, Edson Chakuma, and Welcome Zimuto — have been charged with treason, which carries a possible penalty of death or life imprisonment.

The granting of bail is a victory for the six activists, who are being tortured by police and security officers in an attempt to extract false confessions of a plot to overthrow the regime of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.

However, they desperately need to raise the required $12,000 required.

Donations to the bail fund should be made to: Commonwealth Bank, account name: Australians for Democracy in Zimbabwe; account number: 10105860; BSB: 062-498

[For more information, visit www.freethemnow.com .]

Comments

I am one of the Victims arrested and tourtured because of the video of Tunisia&Egypt we watched in a lesson.I have about the help we got from Australians thru Socialist Alliance and other Organisations. I have also read solidarity messages written by Lucy Macdonald and i take this opportunity to thank her. But the big Question is we havent been given the Information of how or to what extent have we been helped and by who.We believe as Victims we have every democratic right to know this important information. I am Eddson Chakuma,echakuma1@yahoo.com
Suspended From Work I was recently suspended from work by my Employer,for being absent for more than 5 days without reasonable cause. My Employer is fully aware that the whole World knew i was arrested and facing treason charges for attending an educational meeting. I am one of the 6 labour activists victims who are on bail pending trial of treason. I am appealing for assitance and solidarity so that i can be reinstated to my position, i am a Trade Unionist at United Food&Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe,you can email my Employer on ; unitedfood@zol.co.zw Yours devastated Eddson Chakuma.

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