Police in Harare continued Wednesday to hold some 14 student arrested Tuesday for trying to organize a demonstration in the Zimbabwean capital, sources said.
Sources in the Zimbabwe National Students Union said the 14 were denied food and legal counsel until late Wednesday. Those held included ZINASU president Promise Mkwananzi, University of Zimbabwe Student Council Member Maureen Kademaumba, Bulawayo Polytechnic College Student Representative Council President Blessing Vava and his council's finance secretary, Gladys Mukubvu.
The International Union of Students issued a statement Wednesday expressing its concern at the treatment of students and their leaders by state authorities.
Harare lawyer Bernard Chidzwa, representing the detained student activists, told reporter Patience Rusere of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that authorities had no legal basis on which to bring charges against them.
More reports from VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe...