I am thrilled to report the release of our colleague Lenard Kamwendo and 38 other detainees who had been facing treason charges in the case of the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe)’s Munyaradzi Gwisai and 44 others. In the Magistrate’s court in Harare today, Magistrate Mutevedzi held that there was no reasonable suspicion against 39 of the detainees, and they have been released.

But Gwisai, Hopewell Gumbo of ZIMCODD and 4 others are still being held in custody. They will not appear in court again until 21 March – over a month since they were arrested for holding a meeting in which they discussed recent events in Tunisia and Egypt. They also deserve to be going home today. Free the 6 now.

It’s days like this that make me wish I could believe in something. Instead, my every eyelash and rainbow and first star wish, my deepest hope and greatest intention have all been going for the same thing for the past 17 days. I need this to be the day the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe)’s Munyaradzi Gwisai, ZIMCODD’s Hopewell Gumbo, our colleague Lenard Kamwendo and the 42 others who have been charged with treason go home.

We have received more text messages expressing support for Munyaradzi Gwisai of the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe) and the 44 others who have been charged with treason:

• Absurd it is and I condemn it in the strongest manner possible. Asi kuenda kwemukuru shingai varume we are with you in spirit.
• ‘Let my people go.’ Exodus 5 v. 2 History is on our side! Age is on our side! People are on our side! God is on our side! The people shall govern!
• Under these very difficult circumstances I wish you courage, faith, patience and humour.
• The world has eyes. Nothing is going to happen to the 45 detained on false treason charges.
• No rule of law, no democracy, no peace, no justice. It’s high time we should take to the streets and demonstrate against dictatorship.
• Let us pray for them. God is for the oppressed. One day he will free his oppressed people. Let’s have faith in him.
• I support them because they are driving towards human, civil, political, social and economic rights.
• We must be free to choose our favourite leaders.
• Vicious regimes are destined to fall. We’ve the strong conviction to free our nation. Let’s fight on guys.
• The Almighty God is watching. You will conquer. Keep the wheels of change rolling. We are with you.
• Those who arrested the 45 are the ones who are committing treason.
• Free the 45 now! – Batanai
• To those imprisoned we want you to know that we serve a God of infinite justice. Be encouraged. We will pray for you and hold you in our hearts. – Nan
• An injury to one is an injury to all. We are with them wherever they are. We will stand with them.
• This is not fair. This is inhuman. We are sick and tired with these perpetrators. We people should stand bold enough to conquer this evil doing.
• Free the 45 now!
• All I can say to Robert and his cowboys is: Please give peace a chance!
• We will continue with this abuse if we maintain this obedience and faithfulness of pet dogs.

At the Magistrate’s court in Harare today, the case of Munyaradzi Gwisai of the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe) and 44 activists who have been arrested and charged with treason for watching and discussing a DVD of material about recent political events in Egypt continued.

The court is currently hearing an application for refusal of placement on remand by the lawyer for the accused, Alec Muchadehama of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

Today the court heard Gwisai be cross examined by the prosecution, and also herd testimony from Antonater Choto and from a woman who sells airtime in the building and was caught up in events when the police raided the meeting.

The state was then expected to present its response to Muchadehama’s application. However, it argued that its submissions were lengthy, and the court agreed to receive them in writing.

The Magistrate then reported that he is unavailable to hear the matter for the rest of the week – and can only resume the case next week Monday. All 45 accused have been remanded in custody until at least that date. By next week Monday, they will have spent 16 nights in custody.

Yesterday’s update from the International Socialist Organisation (Zimbabwe) below described what happened in court yesterday in the case of Munyaradzi Gwisai + 44 others who have been charged with treason following a discussion meeting Saturday 19 February.  They are currently appearing in court again today. The Magistrate instructed everyone who was standing to leave, and closed the doors to the court.

The arrested Comrades were scheduled to appear in court today but to our surprise when the time was up for the matter to start we saw a different female magistrate on the bench who advised us that the magistrate who is presiding over the matter was in  a meeting with the Chief Justice. The matter was therefore postponed to tomorrow as the meeting was said to take the whole day today. All the magistrate had to say was that she knew nothing about the case and was not going to hear any petitions from the defence lawyers.  We are therefore going to court again at 11:15am tomorrow. We however visited the male prison and gave them food in the afternoon but we failed to give the females their meal as they were still at the court at the time we visited the prison. The officers refused to accept the food on their behalf.