जोआना, नेटसाई र सिसिलिया तीन महिलामा धेरै कुराहरू समान छन् । उनीहरू बोर्ड खेल खेल्न मन पराउँछन्, नेटफ्लिक्स हेर्छन् र राजनीति प्रति गहिरो चासो राख्दछन् । तर दुःखको कुरा के छ भने उनीहरू तिनै जना अहिले आफूमाथि भएको एउटा डरलाग्दो र अपमानजनक आक्रमणको भयानक स्मृति साझेदार गरिरहेका छन् ।
सन् २०२० मे १३ मा सरकार विरोधी प्रदर्शनको नेतृत्व गरेपछि जोआना, नेटसाई र सिसिलियालाई हरारेमा स्वेच्छाचारी रूपमा गिरफ्तार गरिएको थियो । त्यसपछि उनीहरूलाई प्रहरी चौकीमा लगी एउटा कुनै चिन्ह नभएको गाडीमा जबर्जस्ती हालिएको थियो । टाउकोमा मुखुण्डो लगाएर उनीहरूलाई शहरबाट बाहिर निकालिएको थियो । त्यसपछि उनीहरूलाई खाडलमा फालियो, कुटपिट गरियो, यौन दुव्र्यवहार गरियो र मानव मलमूत्र खान बाध्य पारियो । उनीहरू दुई दिनपछि हरारेको केही माइल टाढा फेला परेका थिए । लुगा च्यातिएको तथा शरीरभरी घाउ चोट भएको अवस्थामा उनीहरूलाई अस्पताल लगिएको थियो ।
अस्पतालमा उपचाररत अवस्थामै जोआना, नेटसाई र सिसिलियालाई विरोधमा भाग लिएको सम्बन्धमा फौजदारी अपराधको आरोप लगाइएको थियो । उनीहरूलाई पत्रकारसँग कुरा गर्नबाट रोक्नका लागि कारागारका सुरक्षाकर्मी र प्रहरी अधिकारीहरू अस्पतालमै उपस्थित थिए । उनीहरूले आफ्ना केही आक्रमणकारीहरूलाई चिनेको बताएपछि, ती महिलाहरूलाई १० जुन २०२० मा पुनः गिरफ्तार गरियो र उनीहरूलाई झुटा विवरण पेश गरेको अभियोग लगाइयो । २६ जुन २०२० मा उनीहरूलाई जमानतमा रिहाइ गर्ने आदेश नदिइन्जेलसम्म हिरासतमै राखिएको थियो ।
जोआना, नेटसाई र सिसिलियाको सुनुवाइ जनवरी २०२२ मा सुरू भयो र अहिले पनि उक्त सुनुवाइ जारी छ । आजसम्म उनीहरूले भोगेका भयानक पीडामा कसैलाई जिम्मेवार ठहराइएको छैन ।
जोआना, नेटसाई र सिसिलियाको लागि न्याय दिलाउन जिम्बाब्वेलाई आह्वान गरौँ ।
Abducted, beaten, sexually assaulted and jailed for protesting
Friends Joanah Mamombe, Netsai Marova and Cecillia Chimbiri were abducted, beaten and sexually assaulted after leading an anti-government protest in Zimbabwe. They now face jail for their peaceful actions. Demand justice for them now.
Joanah, Netsai and Cecillia are three women with a lot of things in common: they love playing board games, watching Netflix and are passionate about politics. Sadly, they now share horrific memories of a terrible and degrading attack.
On 13 May 2020, after leading an anti-government protest, Joanah, Netsai and Cecillia were arbitrarily arrested in Harare, taken to a police station and forced into an unmarked car. With hoods over their heads, they were driven out of the city. Scared for their lives, the women were thrown into a pit, beaten, sexually assaulted and forced to eat human excrement. They were found two days later, miles from Harare. Their clothes torn, covered in cuts and bruises, they were taken to hospital.
While still hospitalized, Joanah, Netsai, and Cecillia were charged with criminal offences relating to the protest. Prison guards and police officers were stationed at the hospital to prevent them from talking to journalists. After stating that they recognized some of their attackers, the women were re-arrested on 10 June 2020 and charged with faking their ordeal. They were detained until 26 June 2020, when they were given bail.
Joanah, Netsai, and Cecillia’s trial began in January 2022 and continues. To date, no one has been held accountable for their terrible trauma.