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Police in Zimbabwe released five opposition demonstrators without charge after detaining them for refusing to disperse during an anti-government march at the weekend.
"They are letting us go, and said they are still investigating," said one of the activists, Grace Kwinjeh, shortly after they were freed from police custody. The five were arrested for "disobeying a lawful order to stand up when they were sitting down", according to Brian Kagoro, spokesman for the
National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) which organised the march that turned violent on Saturday.
Later when a court order was served on the police indicating that the march was lawful, police said they would keep the demonstrators in custody "to protect them from being attacked by (pro-government) war veterans".
An estimated 5,000 people took part in the demonstration, which was disrupted by armed former liberation fighters and ruling ZANU-PF supporters, resulting in injuries to about 15 people. None of the attackers, who were armed with clubs, rocks and machetes, was arrested.
Meanwhile, defiant marchers vowed on Sunday to "intensify mass action". The organisers of the march, the National Constitutional Association (NCA), an alliance of churches, labour unions and human rights groups, said they were
planning 100 days of peace marches and prayer vigils.
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions