Zimbabwe police break up opposition protest at courthouse over detained activists

In Harare, Zimbabwe, tensions escalated as police used force to disperse a protest by opposition supporters outside a courthouse. The demonstrators were demanding the release of 78 activists who had been detained since mid-June for gathering without police clearance. Skirmishes broke out between the police and protesters, with a lawyer addressing journalists also being shoved by law enforcement. The detained activists, led by Jameson Timba, were arrested during a gathering at Timba's residence to commemorate the Day of the African Child. They are facing charges of disorderly conduct and inciting violence, with potential penalties of a fine or up to five years in prison if convicted. Amnesty International has condemned the arrests as part of a broader pattern of repression against peaceful assembly and expression, calling for an investigation into allegations of torture during police detention. Global and local rights groups have criticized the crackdown on opposition figures, university students, and labor unionists, highlighting ongoing repression in Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 promising democratic reforms, denies the allegations of human rights abuses but has cautioned the opposition against provoking violence. The situation underscores the challenges facing civil liberties and political dissent in the country, despite official pledges of reform.