UN-appointed experts called on Zimbabwe on Thursday to release three human rights activists, who they say were tortured while in custody, as the country prepares for an important regional summit. The activists were identified in the experts’ statement as Namatai Kwekweza, a rights advocate; Robson Chere, a leader of a teachers’ union; and Samuel Gwenzi, a former municipal councilor in Harare.
The three were detained on July 31 for protesting in support of imprisoned opposition figures Jameson Timba and other activists.
According to the UN experts, unknown men forced the activists off a plane and kept them incommunicado for eight hours.
According to the statement, the three activists were reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance, torture, and other forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment, including waterboarding. They were later handed over to the police, who, for the first time, informed them of the reason for their arrest: alleged “disorderly conduct” during a July protest demanding Timba’s release.
The UN-mandated experts condemned the charges as “baseless” and described the detainees’ treatment as “inexcusable.” A court was expected to rule on their bail request on Friday.
Zimbabwe is set to host leaders from the 16 countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) on Saturday.
According to Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, Zimbabwean authorities have arrested dozens of people in the weeks leading up to the summit.
The experts stated, “As Zimbabwe prepares to host the SADC summit, which upholds values like democratic, legitimate, and effective institutions, it is unacceptable that human rights defenders working towards these values remain arbitrarily detained.”
These experts included several “special rapporteurs” who are independent rights experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council, but they do not represent the United Nations officially.