Amnesty International has warned that the arrest and harassment of Zimbabwe opposition supporters is a harbinger of a “chilling” run-up to the southern African country’s general elections set for later this year.Some 25 main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) officials, including two lawmakers, were arrested on January 14 for allegedly holding an “unsanctioned” meeting at one of the parliamentarians’ house. 

Amnesty International deputy director for East and southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya said the arrest of the opposition officials sends an “unmistakeable” and “chilling message” about what Zimbabweans should expect as the country approaches general elections later this year.

“It is clear that Zimbabwe authorities will go after anyone who dares oppose them in the upcoming elections,” Mwangovya said late Tuesday

The police allegedly tried to deny the opposition officials access to counsel “by physically assaulting their lawyer as he tried to confer with his clients.”

“The lawyer should not have been attacked simply for discharging his function of defending his clients,” Mwangovya said. 

The Amnesty official called for the release of the opposition, describing their arrest “a shameless assault by Zimbabwean authorities against the rights to privacy, to liberty and security of persons and to freedom of expression.” 

“These 25 individuals must be released immediately and all charges against them must be dropped,” Mwangovya said. 

He added: “Zimbabwe authorities must respect the right to freedom of assembly in the run-up to the election.”

The police have over the years come under fire for alleged bias towards the governing ZANU PF whose members are allowed to hold meetings at any time without requiring to seek authorisation from law enforcement agents.

The incident comes weeks after suspected ZANU PF supporters assaulted a group of elderly CCC members who were holding a meeting in Murehwa to the northeast of Harare.