Responding to the conviction and sentencing of Jameson Timba and 34 other activists, who spent over 164 days in arbitrary detention following a mass arrest on 16 June 2024, Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
“Jameson Timba and the other 34 activists should have never spent a day in prison. Their prosecution is a gross miscarriage of justice and a stark reminder of the Zimbabwean authorities’ failure to uphold human rights.
Jameson Timba and the other 34 activists should have never spent a day in prison. Their prosecution is a gross miscarriage of justice and a stark reminder of the Zimbabwean authorities’ failure to uphold human rights.
Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa
“It is utterly unacceptable that they were arrested, prosecuted and punished simply for exercising their fundamental rights to peaceful assembly and free speech.
“Zimbabwean authorities must urgently and unconditionally overturn the conviction and sentences. Authorities must also uphold Zimbabwe’s constitutional and international human rights obligations including the rights to peaceful assembly, liberty and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment.”
Background
On 16 June 2024 police arrested and detained 78 people including CCC members and interim party leader Jameson Timba, who had gathered at Timba’s house to commemorate the Day of the African Child and charged them with holding an illegal gathering with intent to cause public violence. On 27 November 2024, Jameson Timba and 34 fellow activists were given wholly suspended sentences on the condition that they do not commit similar offences.
The arrests were part of a massive crackdown on dissent in the lead-up to a Southern African Development Community Summit of Heads of State and Government in August in Harare, Zimbabwe.
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