We demand the immediate release of CCDZ Advocacy Officer George Makoni and his civil society colleagues Gamuchirai Mukura of COTRAD, Tatenda Mombeyarara of the Citizens Manifesto and Frank Mpahlo of Transparency International – Zimbabwe.

The 4 Civic leaders were arrested upon arrival at R. Mugabe International Airport last night. George Makoni took leave of absence to attend a professional Human rights and Peace-building Programme in The Maldives.

This workshop was NOT in any way linked to regime change and any plot to unseat the Zimbabwean government as being peddled by the state press – The Herald and Chronicle. The arrest of the 4 civil society leaders by the State authorities is an attempt to muzzle civil society and criminalize its work.