ZIMBABWE – Fifteen church leaders arrested
24/08/07
Pastors detained, fined for attending prayer meeting
On 21 August, SW Radio Africa, an independent Zimbabwean station, reported the arrest of 15 church leaders from their homes for allegedly attending a prayer meeting in Chitungwiza, Zimbabwe, without police approval.
A statement from the Mutambara Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), the main labour-based opposition to the Mugabe regime, said, "The pastors were initially picked up on Saturday 18 August at the venue of the service for allegedly attending an unsanctioned meeting.
"They were subsequently released after paying fines of Z$40,000 [ca £80] each.
"Surprisingly they were picked up again from their homes on the night of 20 August and taken to Makoni police station where they were detained."
Legislators Job Sikhala and Goodrich Chimbaira had also attended the Saturday prayer meeting.
Among those arrested are Bishop Samuel Pasula, Reverend Mabhena, Reverend Patrick Tole, Reverend Gordon Chinogurei and a pastor identified only as Reverend White.
The MDC said, "To even suggest that the pastors should have sought permission to hold a prayer meeting is symptomatic of a government that has become so paranoid that the very idea of an opposition legislator attending such a meeting sends it into delirium."
Amid the political unrest and uncertainty in Zimbabwe, the church has continued to function openly and unhindered, and until recently, the church has distanced itself from the political arena.
However, as pressure on churches to take a stand increases, so have the challenges. Reports of clerics and church members being harassed are now widespread.
Those churches that have chosen to avoid politics however seem to function without interference.
Open Doors continues to monitor the situation in Zimbabwe as the Church there takes a stand for human rights and democracy.
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