Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu remain in custody in Bulawayo Central Police Station tonight following their arrest earlier in the day. The seven other members that had been arrested before the demonstration had started have all been released without charge. It appears that they were not beaten during their brief detention. They were released one by one throughout the afternoon after the intervention of the lawyer.

Three members have received medical treatment for the beatings they received from riot police outside Mhlahlandlela. One woman has a broken finger, the other two bruising. All were beaten with baton sticks.

It is unclear what Williams and Mahlangu are being charged with as the lawyer has still been denied access by the Officer-in-Charge of the Law and Order Section in Bulawayo Central, Detective Chief Inspector Ntini.

Food has been allowed in this evening however and the pair appears to be in good spirits, although apparently Mahlangu was beaten outside Mhlahlandlela along with the rest of the group.

The order for the group to be beaten apparently came from Chief Inspector Mabhari, a senior uniformed police officer based at Bulawayo Central Police Station. He was also the officer that arrested Jenni Williams.

WOZA members that were monitoring the demonstration report that as the group marched through the streets, some of the comments from passers-by included a police officer commenting to another, “now that’s a proper demo” and a man remarking to another, “these women are doing a noble thing.”

Please continue to call Bulawayo Central Police Station on +263 9 72515, 61706, 63061 or 68078 to demand that Williams and Mahlangu not be mistreated in custody and to be released speedily.