Pro-democracy Activists Dragged From Plane at Harare Airport

Pro-democracy Activists Dragged From Plane at Harare Airport

Zimbabwean government secret service officers dragged three pro-democracy activists from a plane this afternoon at Robert Mugabe International Airport according to a report by veteran journalist Hopewell Chin'ono.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Hopewell shared the pictures which were taken by a passenger who was on the plane as the activists were being led away from the plane.

The three pro-democracy campaigners are Robson Chere, the Secretary General of a local teachers' trade union; Samuel Gwenzi, a local government councillor for Harare’s Ward 5; and Vusumuzi Moyo and Namatai Kwekweza.

They join 78 other pro-democracy activists who were arrested and jailed on June 16. Seventy-four of them are still in jail as anyone perceived to have the potential to mobilise citizens during the SADC summit which kicks off on the 17th of August is being arrested.

Pro-democracy Activists Dragged From Plane at Harare Airport

The four were flying from Harare to Victoria Falls where they were supposed to attend a civil society conference with participants from all over Africa.

They are unreachable prompting fears that their phones may have been taken away from them.

Hopewell Chin'ono went on to comment that Zimbabwe is being run by a criminal cabal that abuses public office by arresting anyone who fights against its corrupt rule.

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The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Himan Rights issued a statement: “We are greatly concerned about the whereabouts of pro-democracy campaigner @namataik_ & 2 other people, who reached out to us, after they were removed from a plane at Robert Mugabe International Airport. We are trying to ascertain their whereabouts & what is happening to them.”

The government or the police are yet to issue a response on the matter.