No bail for three activists kicked off Zimbabwe plane

Recent crackdowns on political opponents come as Zimbabwe's president takes over as regional Sadc leader.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessWomen at the HelmFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersNo bail for activists kicked off Zimbabwe plane @robohchere / @namataik_ / @cdegwenziRobson Chere (L), Namatai Kwekweza (C) and Samuel Gwenzi (R) were hauled off the plane 17 days ago and have been in custody ever sinceThree Zimbabwean activists who were arrested in dramatic fashion after being forced off an aeroplane last month have been denied bail, on the eve of a high-profile international summit in the country.

Robson Chere, Namatai Kwekweza and Samuel Gwenzi have been charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly protesting outside a court in June about the arrest of dozens of opposition supporters.

The magistrate ruled they were likely to abscond, could commit other offences and cause public despondency, according to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

A lawyer representing the trio says they were held for hours without access to a legal representative and tortured soon after their arrest.

The three had been heading to the Zimbabwean resort town of Victoria Falls to attend a conference when they were hauled off the domestic flight.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cm2n5rg63r6o

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