MDCA Officials Charged With Criminal Nuisance
The MDC Alliance officials who were arrested and taken to Harare Central earlier on Friday have been charged with criminal nuisance.
According to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), police said the MDC Alliance officials sang, moved and blocked the road around Harvest House in central Harare.
Criminal Nuisance and Disorderly Conduct are vague offences that have been arbitrarily used by police over the years, ZLHR said.
The officials are co-deputy presidents Tendai Biti and Lynette Karenyi Kore, secretary for international relations Gladys Hlatshwayo, and her deputy Lovemore Chinoputsa, Manicaland provincial chair, David Chimhini and Vimbai Tome.
They are being represented by Beatrice Mtetwa and Alec Muchadehama.
According to Mtetwa, the officials were to be locked up for the night after the Provincial Commander gave that order and they will be taken to court on Saturday for something that ordinarily requires a fine.
They were arrested at the party headquarters, Harvest House, now known as Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House where they intended to gain entrance and address a press conference.
The building was seized by soldiers on Thursday night and handed over to the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T.
