LAWYER'S MARCH ENDS IN VIOLENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000394 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR S. HILL NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN USAID FOR E. LOKEN ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2017 TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL ZI SUBJECT: LAWYER'S MARCH ENDS IN VIOLENCE REF: HARARE 00383 Classified By: Charge Eric T. Schultz under Section 1.4 b/d -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) A May 8 march organized by the Law Society of Zimbabwe to protest the arrest of two human rights lawyers, Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni (reftel),ended with violence as riot police used batons to disperse and beat a crowd of approximately 40. Police temporarily detained several of the marchers, but they were released and there appear to have been no arrests. The extent of any injuries remained unknown. Post has provided recommended press guidance in paragraph 6. End Summary. -------------- Lawyer's Protest March Violently Disbursed -------------- ¶2. (U) Law Society President Beatrice Mtetwa called for the march to deliver to Minister of Justice Patrick Chinamasa, Attorney General Sobuza Gula-Ndebele and Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri a petition protesting the government's arrest of Muchadehama and Makoni as a "direct attack" on the independence of the legal profession. ¶3. (U) More than 40 lawyers gathered in judicial robes in front of the High Court to start the march. Western diplomats, including Embassy personnel, were present as observers. As the start time of the march approached, the officer in charge of the 20 or so riot police present ordered the crowd to disperse or they would be beaten. When the lawyers did not disperse he ordered his men to move in. Initially the police made only a half-hearted effort to get the lawyers to disperse. However, the officer in charge then chased after the group shouting "I said charge them, I said charge them." The police then began beating the lawyers with batons. ¶4. (SBU) Law Society President Mtetwa told us that as the initial beatings took place she and two other lawyers attempted to proceed to the Ministry of Justice to deliver the petition. Several police officers approached them, beat them, and then forced them into a car. The police drove them to the outskirts of town, had them get out of the car and lie on their stomachs, and beat them on their backs. After police left, Mtetwa and the two other sought medical attention. ¶5. (U) Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyers told us after the march that several lawyers had been briefly detained but that none were arrested. They did not yet have information on the extent of the injuries suffered by the marchers. -------------- Comment and Recommended Press Guidance -------------- ¶6. (C) To our knowledge, this is the first time that Zimbabwean lawyers have ever been publicly beaten by police. As noted reftel, the government is crossing new lines in its HARARE 00000394 002 OF 002 efforts to suppress all opposition. In order to draw international attention to the government's continuing abuses, we recommend the Department release a press statement along the following lines: &We deplore the Government of Zimbabwe's attack today on lawyers protesting the detention this weekend of two human rights lawyers. The government's assault on the legal profession and the rule of law is part of its continuing effort to suppress all opposition in advance of next year's election. These actions are not conducive to the free and fair election Zimbabwe needs to bring an end to its crisis. We call on the Government of Zimbabwe to respect the rights of all Zimbabweans, to respect the rule of law, and to allow the legal profession to serve its important role unmolested.8 SCHULTZ