HUMAN rights lawyer Douglas Coltart will sue the police for
assaulting and detaining him during a protest by teachers last year.
Coltart, who has been arrested a number of times for his
activism, was severely beaten up by police offices during a protest organised
by the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) in August last
year.
Artuz members were picketing Finance minister Mthuli
Ncube’s offices over poor salaries when the police officers pounced on them and
Coltart. He was arrested together with eight teachers and a journalist.
The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has since
written to Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe and the police notifying them
of Coltart’s impending lawsuit.
“Our client Douglas Coltart was lawfully filming the
incident for evidentiary purposes when a police officer grabbed him and tried
to wrench his phone away from him, while calling for other police officers to
arrest him for filming,” the lawyers said in a notice sent to Kazembe.
“He repeatedly informed the police officers that he was a
lawyer and asked for the reason for his arrest, to which they did not respond.
“Our client was surrounded by a large number of police
officers, who grabbed his arms and legs, handcuffed him tightly, pushed him to
the ground and began assaulting him, kicking him with their boots .
“He sustained injuries to his head, arm and legs, including
cuts and nerve injuries to his wrists. His glasses were also broken during the
process.”
The lawyers said Coltart was not told of the reason behind
his arrest and the officers refused to identify themselves..
Coltart and the other accused persons were detained
overnight under inhuman conditions.
“The arrest, detention and wanton and excessive use of
force by the police in this matter is clearly unjustifiable and unlawful in the
circumstances,” the lawyers added.
“In addition to violating section 21 of the schedule to the
Police Act, the police actions constitute gross human rights violations in
terms of the constitution and international law, particularly the right to
human dignity and freedom from inhuman and degrading treatment.”
Coltart, the lawyers said, will claim damages for pain and
suffering, contumelia, nervous shock, loss of income, financial loss, including
medical expenses, and constitutional damages. Standard
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