Zimbabwe: Human Rights Lawyer Douglas Coltart in Solo Protest Against Abductions of Opposition Members

1 November 2023
New Zimbabwe (London)

HUMAN rights lawyer Douglas Coltart, Wednesday staged a solitary protest against the alleged abductions of Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members by suspected state agents.

This follows the abduction of opposition Member of Parliament Takudzwa Ngadziore, on Wednesday, while on his way to Parliament.

According to the party, Ngadziore was forcibly undressed, subjected to torture, injected with an unidentified substance, and dumped in Christon Bank, Mazowe.

● Pictures of tortured @CCCZimbabwe MP @ngadziore who was abducted earlier today pic.twitter.com/WOPIxpZ6rR-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) November 1, 2023

In a one-man demonstration, Coltart marched along a street in Harare holding a placard with the message: "No to abductions! No to barbarism."

● Top rights lawyer Douglas @DougColtart in a solo protest against abductions of @CCCZimbabwe members by suspected state agents pic.twitter.com/WXmb4acAZG-- NewZimbabwe.com (@NewZimbabweCom) November 1, 2023

Before his abduction, Ngadziore streamed a brief live video on Facebook to alert people that he was being followed, capturing the faces of his abductors, one of whom was armed.

The abductors are yet to be arrested.

Notably, less than a week ago, former Mabvuku-Tafara legislator James Chidhakwa was also abducted, tortured and injected with an unidentified substance.

These incidents have drawn the attention of international political analysts, with Piers Pigou, the head of the International Crisis Group's Southern Africa program in South Africa, asserting that this is a strategy employed by the ruling party, Zanu PF, to stifle opposition voices.

"The Zimbabwean state and its fellow travelers are in the business of silencing its critics.

"This simple action by Coltart has in the past generated a violent and repressive response from the authorities.

"Basic criticism of the state can now result in legal persecution," Piers said.

Read the original article on New Zimbabwe.

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