HARARE - Six Zimbabwean political
activists were abducted from their homes at night and beaten by
armed men this week, ahead of planned street demonstrations by
the main opposition party, a coalition of rights groups said on
Thursday.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) has
called Friday's protest against the handling of the economy by
President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government.
Police have said they believe the protests will turn
violent. The MDC says the demonstrations will be peaceful.
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a coalition of rights
groups, said it suspected state security agents were behind the
abductions and beatings of the rights activists accused of
planning the protests.
"The developments so far point to a real risk that the
people of Zimbabwe's fundamental freedoms are once again in
danger and this must be stopped before it gets out of control,"
Jestina Mukoko, who chairs the forum, told reporters.
"Sadly, these developments remind us of the atrocities
committed earlier this year in January," she said, referring to
a military crackdown on violent protests that led to the death
of more than a dozen people.
Nick Mangwana, the secretary of the information ministry,
said on Twitter he was not aware who was responsible for the
attacks on activists and that these should be investigated.
Zimbabweans are enduring the worst economic crisis in a
decade, marked by soaring inflation and shortages of hard
currency, fuel, electricity and bread, which has fuelled public
anger against Mnangagwa's government.
Hope that the economy would quickly recover and political
rights expanded after longserving ruler Robert Mugabe was
removed in a coup in 2017 has turned to despair amid the
economic hardship.
Police spokesman Paul Nyathi said law enforcement officers
had recovered stones and catapults stashed in central Harare,
which he said were part of evidence that showed that Friday's
demonstrations would be violent.
He said he was not aware of the abductions reports.
The police have since Wednesday increased patrols in the
capital Harare ahead of the MDC protests, which the party said
will be rolled out in other cities next week.
"Police reiterates that security services will not fold
hands and allow violence, destruction of property, intimidation,
threats and clandestine night acts of violent agitation to take
centre stage," Nyathi said in a statement.
In January, the protests against a sharp fuel price hike
resulted in looting of shops. When the army was deployed, some
protesters were shot and rights groups said dozens of activists
were seized from their homes in night raids and badly beaten by
security agents.