Amnesty International Demands Dropping of Charges Against Zimbabwean Activist Mbedzi

HUMAN rights organisation Amnesty International has called on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately drop all charges against political activist Bhekimpilo Mbedzi, who was arrested after calling for protests against Constitutional Amendment Act Number 3. Mbedzi was arrested on July 15 after allegedly posting a video on social media calling for demonstrations against the constitutional amendments, which extended the tenure of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to 2030. After spending weeks in custody, Mbedzi was granted bail by the High Court last week. However, he remains charged with inciting an unlawful gathering, with the State alleging that he failed to notify the relevant authorities about the planned event. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines Amnesty International has called for the charges to be dropped unconditionally. "Authorities arrested him on July 15 after he posted a video on social media calling for protests against the recently enacted Constitutional Amendment Act No. 3. "His release is not unconditional. Bhekimpilo Mbedzi still faces a charge of 'inciting an unlawful gathering'. The state alleges that he failed to notify the relevant authorities about the planned event. "The Zimbabwean authorities must immediately end the prosecution of Bhekimpilo Mbedzi and drop all charges against him. He is being prosecuted solely for peacefully exercising his human rights," said Amnesty International in a statement. Mbedzi's arrest attracted criticism from opposition parties and human rights organisations, which accused authorities of shrinking democratic space and targeting critics of the constitutional amendments. Amnesty International also raised concerns over reports of intimidation and violence surrounding public hearings on the then Constitutional Amendment Bill Number 3. "Authorities reportedly targeted prominent critics even before the public hearings began. Constitutional lawyer Professor Lovemore Madhuku and former Finance Minister Tendai Biti were reportedly arrested, detained, or assaulted. These incidents created a climate of fear around opposition to the Bill. "Public hearings began on March 30. Several hearings were disrupted by overcrowding and violence. In Harare, suspected ZANU-PF supporters assaulted human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart after he tried to make a submission. In Bulawayo, opposition figures, including David Coltart, said authorities prevented them from speaking despite arriving on time. Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy . We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "Following its enactment, civil society organisations, opposition groups, and activists planned a peaceful march for July 31. They sought to protest the amendments and call for their repeal. Reports also indicated increased surveillance, intimidation, and arrests of people who supported the planned demonstrations," the statement read. The Constitutional Amendment Act Number 3 was subsequently enacted, extending the terms of the President and Parliament and introducing other changes to Zimbabwe's constitutional framework. Read the original article on New Zimbabwe . AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 90 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals , representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica . To address comments or complaints, please Contact us . AllAfrica is a v