Zimbabwe court denies bail to three activists ahead of summit

Rights activist Namatai Kwekweza, teachers' union leader Robson Chere and Samuel Gwenzi, a former Harare municipal councillor, have been in jail since July 31 in a case that has drawn wide condemnation and international demands for their release.

They were pulled off a plane at the Harare airport as they headed to a civil society conference and charged with disorderly conduct for protesting for the release of opposition leader Jameson Timba and 78 other activists arrested on June 16.

The case has been condemned by rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as part of a crackdown on dissent ahead of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare Saturday.

"In an attempt to silence critical voices and dissuade potential protests, the police and security forces have arbitrarily arrested over 160 activists, political party members, student union activists and civil society members on charges relating to disorderly conduct, criminal nuisance and plotting to incite protests," Amnesty said last week.

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UN-appointed experts Thursday urged Zimbabwe to release the three who appeared in court Friday, saying they had been tortured in detention.

But Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo denied bail after state prosecutors argued that they could abscond. The evidence was that they had been apprehended at the airport, she said.

"From the submissions made by the State, there is a possibility that the release of the accused might undermine delivery of justice," she added.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa takes over the SADC chairmanship at the summit.

He came to power in August 2023 after the ZANU-PF -- in power since independence in 1980 -- won a majority in parliament in elections that were disputed, with a SADC observer mission among those raising questions about the process.