Dozens beaten, some arrested after Zimbabwe opposition leader refuses bail

By Nyasha Chingono

HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwean police beat dozens of opposition supporters and arrested several outside a court in the capital Harare on Thursday, after members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party were denied access released on bail after their arrest two weeks ago.

A Harare magistrate has denied bail to the party's interim leader, Jameson Timba, and 78 activists arrested on June 16 for organizing a political rally that authorities said was unauthorized.

Timba took over as interim leadership of the CCC after former leader Nelson Chamisa left the party in January, alleging he had been hijacked by the ruling ZANU-PF party.

Police riot units guarded the court entrance and the arrests took place hours after the president Emmerson Mnangagwa said those found to be causing problems would be “dealt with”.

A Reuters reporter saw the arrest of a woman holding a sign demanding the activists' release, while some were herded into police trucks and others fled from baton-wielding police.

The activists were denied bail over fears they would cause a public disturbance and interfere with witnesses in the state's case, their lawyer, the Gumbo Agency, said. to reporters outside court after the online bail hearing.

Gumbo said his team would appeal the decision to the High Court.

“We do not believe there are compelling reasons to deny bail to the defendants.”

(Reporting by Nyasha Chingono; editing by Tannur Anders and Ros Russell)