Seven members of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA), arrested in Mutare last week, are still behind bars despite bail being posted for the group on Monday.

They are being detained at the Mutare Remand Prison after being officially charged with public violence on Monday. Ten NCA members in total were charged, but three have since been released pending the group's court appearance next month. All ten individuals were taken into police custody after participating in peaceful protests a week ago. One of the detainees was a young pregnant woman who suffered a miscarriage after being beaten by police officers. She was denied medical attention for the six days she spent in police custody.

According to the NCA, the organisation's Regional Officer for Manicaland paid bail for all the individuals at the court after the group was charged on Monday. But when the Regional Officer arrived at the Mutare Remand Prison to collect the detainees, prison officials refused to release seven of the NCA members, citing a 'technicality in the receipts issued by the court'.

The woman who suffered the miscarriage and the NCA Youth Chairperson for Manicaland, Manex Mauya, were among the three NCA members released.

Meanwhile, there has still been no word on the safety of 12 MDC activists arrested more than two weeks ago in Banket. The MDC has expressed fears the group will not be found alive, amid growing worries of a renewed and violent ZANU PF clampdown.