Zimbabwe: Persecution of WOZA members continues

ACTION TYPE EMAIL

Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) is a Zimbabwean activist group that speaks out about social and economic inequalities and human rights conditions in the country.

WOZA members have been demonstrating peacefully against social injustice for ten years.

Urge the Zimbabwean authorities to respect the rights of WOZA members

Countless arrests over a decade

Since WOZA was formed 10 years ago, we have documented numerous incidents in which the group's members have been arrested, harassed and severely beaten by police after exercising their right to peaceful protest. They have been charged with everything from 'kidnapping and theft' to 'criminal nuisance'.

Update: 14 February 2013

181 WOZA members were arrested at a peaceful Valentine's Day demonstration in Bulawayo. A day earlier, eight members - including Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu - had been arrested during a peaceful protest outside the Zimbabwean Parliament. Find out more

Every year on Valentine’s Day WOZA members take to the streets to hand out roses with the message ‘the power of love can conquer the love of power’

Today marks the tenth anniversary of their first Valentine’s Day demonstration and Jenni Williams has sent us this message:

'Greeting from Women of Zimbabwe Arise. Valentine’s Day 2013 signals a decade of work defending human rights in Zimbabwe by members. This work has been in a framework of great sacrifice in the face of escalating repression. Often times, WOZA has felt very lonely on the streets of Zimbabwe and in the war trenches between an elite dictatorship and the defenders demanding democracy and social justice. Amnesty members the world over has made that loneliness easier to bear by occupying our solidarity corner.

'Amnesty members have spoken for us when we could not speak! Theyhave helped send a clear message to the individuals and institutions that oppress us to respect Human Rights and those human rights are women’s rights. WOZA value the friendship of Amnesty but ask that members strengthen their solidarity in 2013, a crucial year in Zimbabwe. Please help us demand the space to work without harassment and violence. Please stay in our corners as we face the escalating repression of highly contested political space. We need your love to make sure that the power of love can conquer the love of power. This year’s theme is ONE LOVE, lets unite in love for our rights, lets fight together to enjoy them.'

Read the blog: Ten years of the power of love for WOZA and Zimbabwe

January 2013 Update

Punished for peaceful protests

On 12 November 2012 79 women, including two carrying babies, were arrested following a peaceful protest demanding adequate access to clean drinking water.

The protest was staged at council offices in Bulawayo, where riot police arrived to arrest them. WOZA leader Magodonga Mahlangu was amongst those taken into custody.

All of the women were released later the same day after a few hours in custody.

Read more about WOZA

Please email the message below to the Zimbabwean Ambassador in London to urge the government to respect the rights of WOZA members.

Subject

Your Excellency,

Your Excellency

I am deeply concerned that members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) continue to be subjected to arbitrary arrest, intimidation, harassment and ill-treatment because of their peaceful protests about the social, economic and human rights situation in Zimbabwe.

I urge you to respect the constitutionally and internationally agreed rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly without fear of harassment. In particular, I urge you to ensure the 2013 general election is free from violence against peaceful activists.

Please ensure that the authorities in Zimbabwe conduct thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all reports of human rights violations against peaceful activists and human rights defenders. Perpetrators of such violations should be brought to justice and their victims should receive reparation.

I also ask you to observe the ruling by the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe on 26 November 2010 that in violation of their rights and fundamental freedoms, WOZA members were wrongfully arrested and detained over a peaceful demonstration in 2008 and that the state had failed to protect the activists from this abuse.

I look forward to hearing from you on this important matter.

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Take Action

Zimbabwe: Persecution of WOZA members continues

Countless arrests over a decade

Update: 14 February 2013

January 2013 Update

Punished for peaceful protests