The state-sponsored anti-gay terror campaign continues in Africa. On Friday, police in Zimbabwe raided the headquarters of the nation's only gay and lesbian group and arrested two employees. The activists have been denied access to attorneys and there are fears they may be tortured.
The raid on Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) was personally supervised by the superintendent of police and a confidante of President Robert Mugabe, reports Nehanda Radio.
"Two employees, Ellen Chademana and Ignatius Muhambi [were arrested] on allegations of possessing dangerous drugs and pornographic material. Chief Superintendent Peter Magwenzi and Detective Inspector Chibvuma both led a team of police officers to the offices of GALZ in Harare’s posh Milton Park suburb. Both GALZ employees Chadehama and Muhambi were hauled to Harare Central Police Station and were still in custody Saturday evening. The police are said to have taken with them several computers, documents and other material as evidence after the raid. Lawyers representing the arrested duo were denied access to their clients on Saturday’"
Chief Superintendent Magwenzi has been implicated in torture, reports LGBT Asylum News.
"Magwenzi has been involved in disappearances and extended illegal detentions of opposition MDC activists and of journalists. Magwenzi has been implicated in torture by civil society activists. Terry Musona, an MDC activist abducted and held for four months last year who says she was tortured by him, said of her detention: 'Most of the days we were forced to sleep on a cold floor, hungry and blind folded. We were tortured, denied food and medical attention during our entire period of illegal detention.'"
GALZ fears other arrests will follow and that the raid is the latest in growing backlash against LGBT rights in Zimbabwe. Gay men and transgender women face widespread harassment, violence and rape in Zimbabwe, the United States State Department reported last month in its annual human rights survey.
In the last two months, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and President Robert Mugabe—who infamously described gays as "worse than dogs and pigs"—rejected calls to include gay rights in the new constitution.
Some
Background ...
Report:
Gay Men Raped in Zimbabwe
Mugabe's
10,000 Acre Farm
Mugabe
Throws Lavish Party
Gay
Activists in Zimbabwe Report "Shift"
Counterfeit
AIDS Medications Flood Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Cites U.S, Enacts Sweeping Surveillance
Zimbabwe
Hunting Gay Activist
Gay
Bashing in Zimbabwe Parliament
Zimbabwe:
Good News and Bad
Zimbabweans Come Out Slowly
Zimbabwe Anchor Comes Out
Zimbabwe Gay Asylum Plea
Wasnt one of Mugabe's top aides outed?
Posted by: M. Mark | 23 May 2010 at 19:35
Might as well bring back the colonialists.
Posted by: Zaidi | 24 May 2010 at 14:59