Zimbabwe court drop charges against human rights lawyers

Zimbabwean courts have withdrawn criminal charges against two top leading human rights lawyers.

Last September, Douglas Coltart and Tapiwa Muchineripi were arrested after objecting to the police questioning their clients who were in hospital.

Their clients were members of the opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change, who were allegedly abducted and tortured, according to Amnesty International.

The lawyer duo told the police their clients were not fit to answer questions, but the police accused them of obstructing justice and they were taken into custody.

The pair were denied bail.

Mr Douglas told AFP that state prosecutors had agreed that the allegations against him and his colleague did not add up to a criminal offence.

“They were overzealous to arrest lawyers who were simply doing their job,” he said.

Mr Coltart said he and Mr Muchineripi had grounds to sue the authorities and will be deciding their next steps.

Since last August’s highly contested elections, which saw President Emmerson Mnangagwa re-elected, there has been an increase in abductions in the country.

Tapfumaneyi Masaya, a CCC activist, was found dead in November.

By BBC