Zimbabwe Student Arrested Over Workshop Presentation

WASHINGTON —  Police Wednesday fined and released Students Solidarity Trust information and advocacy officer, Trevor Murai, following his arrest Tuesday during a workshop in Mount Pleasant, Harare.

Murai was fined $20 for disorderly conduct and released. He had earlier been transferred to Harare Central Police Station.

Plain clothed police officers arrested Murai midway through his presentation on elections at a workshop organized by the Christian Alliance of Zimbabwe.

He spent a night at Marlborough Police Station. According to the SST, police initially indicated that they had arrested Murai for violating the Electoral Act after conducting what they said was voter education.

But his lawyers have dismissed the accusations as baseless as explained by attorney Trust Mhanda. Mr. Mhanda said his client was merely making a presentation about elections drawing from verses in the Bible regardling to leadership.

Interview With Trust Mhanda

Simbarashe Moyo, co-ordinator of Students Solidarity Trust, said Murai’s arrest Tuesday shows the police are out to intimidate civic society members ahead of elections.

Interview With Simbarashe Moyo