Mbedzi, a Beitbridge resident, was arrested after posting a Facebook video calling for peaceful protests against the recently enacted Constitutional Amendment Bill No. 3. The State alleges that he failed to notify the relevant authorities of the planned gathering on 31 July.

Beitbridge– Bhekimpilo Mbedzi, chairperson of the National Democratic Working Group (NDWG) in Matabeleland South, has been denied bail and is set to appear in court today on charges of “inciting to conduct an unlawful gathering,” a case that has drawn sharp condemnation from opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume and international human rights group Amnesty International.

Speaking out on Mbedzi’s detention, opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume described the activist’s treatment as heartbreaking and unjust.

“Watching this video of Bhekimpilo Mbedzi walking into this Beitbridge court broke my heart,” Ngarivhume said. “This man is innocent. He committed no crime. His only ‘offence’ was appearing in a video stating that he would participate in peaceful protests on 31 July. In today’s Zimbabwe, that alone is apparently enough to be treated like a dangerous criminal.”

Ngarivhume, who has himself experienced prolonged pretrial detention, drew on his personal ordeals to underscore the gravity of the situation.

“I know those chains. I know those prison walls. I have lived through Harare Remand Prison, Harare Central Prison and Chikurubi Maximum Prison. In every case, I was eventually acquitted after spending months in unjustified detention and incarceration. The punishment came long before any trial,” he said.

The opposition leader called on the nation to resist the erosion of constitutional rights.

“As a nation, there comes a time to draw a line in the sand. We cannot allow injustice, persecution and the criminalisation of constitutional rights to define who we are,” Ngarivhume said.

He also revealed that he had recently received a parcel containing dog faeces and a chilling warning that “next time the parcel will go BOOM.” Those responsible, he said, remain free and unarrested, contrasting their impunity with Mbedzi’s prosecution.

“This is not justice. This is persecution. Zimbabwe deserves better. Our people deserve dignity, freedom and a government that fears the law instead of peaceful citizens,” Ngarivhume added.

Amnesty International has condemned Mbedzi’s detention and called for his immediate and unconditional release.

“Mbedzi’s arbitrary arrest and detention violate his rights to freedom of expression and a fair trial,” the organisation said in a statement. “Authorities must respect, protect and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly without discrimination, recognising these as fundamental to democratic participation.”

Amnesty further urged Zimbabwean authorities to “end the misuse of the criminal justice system to arbitrarily arrest, detain, intimidate and harass opposition members, journalists and human rights defenders solely for exercising their human rights and expressing dissenting views.”

Mbedzi’s trial is expected to proceed today amid growing domestic and international scrutiny of Zimbabwe’s civic space and judicial processes.

Zimbabwe Activist Denied Bail Over Protest Video, Opposition Leader Ngarivhume Condemns ‘Persecution’ as Amnesty Calls for Release