The Zimbabwe Republic Police on Thursday used  the old and freedom of expression repressive laws and banned Katswe Sistahood a non-governmental female rights advocacy organisation from marching to Parliament where they intended to  petition parliament over the publication of pornographic pictures by local public newspapers.
Report by NewZimbabwe.com
The NGO had written to the police notifying them that they wanted to stage a peaceful protest in the city centre as part of the international 16 Days of activism against gender-based violence which begin Thursday.
A Katswe Sistahood official said the police said they have no manpower to watch over the demonstration.
“They told us that because of the International Conference of AIDS and STIs (ICASA) they are overwhelmed,” she said.
“They also said the central business district was packed with other events which collide with our march.”
She said the police suggested that the women grouping hold its event anywhere outside central Harare.
“We have since changed the venue of the event and we are going to have it in Dzivaresekwa where we have invited two female legislators Priscilla Misihairambwi-Mushonga and Tabita Khumalo to grace the occasion who we will also hand over our petition to for submission to parliament,” she added.
The lobby organisation wants parliament to enact a law which criminalises the publishing of “pornography” by local media organisations.
They are arguing that the publication of explicit material as well as images of intimate people by local tabloids such as the H- Metro and B- Metro corrupts the society.