Action Alert: Stand Up For Owen Maseko

Zimbabwe Tue 30-03-2010

Action Alert: Stand Up For Owen Maseko
By Josh Nyapimbi

Owen Maseko the Chairperson of the Visual Association of Bulawayo (VAB) and a member of the Bulawayo Arts Forum (BAF) was remanded in custody yesterday after being arrested last Friday for organizing an exhibition on the Gukurahundi atrocities.

Maseko was showcasing pictures of the Gukurahundi massacres at a two-day exhibition when he was arrested. Judgment will be made today.

^{Artist Owen Maseko}

Maseko, who spent the weekend in prison, is being charged under Section 33 and 42 of the Criminal Law Codification (Reform) Act. Under Section 33 Maseko is being charged with insulting and undermining the authority of the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe while clause 42 of the Act says anyone causing prejudice on religion and creed shall be guilty of an offence.

Maseko’s lawyer Kucaca Phulu of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) however said the charges being leveled against his client are baseless as they are not covered by the Act the police are using against his client.

“All the charges being leveled against my client do not cover pictures and paintings and the provisions of the Criminal Law Codification (Reform) Act that are being used do not cover the exhibition,” Phulu said.

The police raid and the arrests came just a day after police swooped on Harare Art gallery and shut down a Zimbabwe Human Rights (ZimRights) exhibition taking place at the time before arresting ZimRights national director and Nhimbe Board Member Okay Machisa.

We are grateful to the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights for their continued legal support to BAF members. Josh Nyapimbi, Raisedon Baya and Cont Mhlanga have been offered similar legal support in the past.

We also acknowledge the moral support received from Ministers; Welshman Ncube, Priscillla Misihairambwi and David Coltart. The latter visited Owen while in remand cells. The ministered pledged to raise the matter in parliament this week.

We are also grateful to representatives from civil society organizations and political parties (except ZANU PF) who attended a press conference and gave solidarity messages.

Lastly we salute the 50 artists who spent the whole day at court in solidarity with Owen Maseko.

Josh Nyapimbi
BAF/ATERIAL NETWORK ZIMBABWE
ntfd@mweb.co.zw

Other related articles:

Police shut down Gukurahundi exhibition

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