I listened to a rather silly but sad story about the fear of God that has been instilled on Zimbabweans since independence concerning how ordinary folks associate with soldiers and the President of the Republic.

It is common knowledge how members of the public have been treated and continue being treated by soldiers guarding State House, how elderly people have been humiliated for “daring” to walk past the President’s residence, how motorists have been brutalised for using the same street with the President’s motorcade.

Yet the fear of these soldiers does reach ridiculous levels.

A guy told the story how a kombi suddenly jammed in front of State House in Bulawayo.

The driver and the tout quickly jumped out the vehicle and started pushing the vehicle full of passengers!

When asked by passengers what the hell they were doing endangering their lives, seeing of course that the steering was unattended, the driver replied that the soldiers would beat up any motorist who “parked” in front of the revered State House!

So, because of that dread they had to leave the steering unattended push the kombi just to escape the wrath of the president’s men?

Crazy country we are living in.

Here’s some short and sensible advice from Alice Walker: No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow. {You could of course substitute government for person, but you knew that}

Mentioning this name to anyone who is an avid follower of Zimbabwean news what quickly comes to mind is human rights. With an outstanding law practice background spanning almost thirty years Beatrice stood out to be one of the most fearless women Zimbabwe has ever produced. Even her profile on wikipedia portrays a history of activism complemented with multiple awards for her work. Today she finds herself being bundled into a prison van and wearing a green prison garb similar to those worn by female prisoners in Zimbabwe. Some of the women who wore this same uniform are now free after she successfully defended their rights in the courts of law.

Caught up in her line of work while trying to defends the rights of Prime Minister’s staff during a police raid has led her to appear before a local magistrate at a lower court answering charges of obstruction of justice after a High Court order for her release was ignored. Prison time weakens some and makes other come out strong and I believe Beatrice’s incarceration will make her strong.

I used to read about Beatrice Mtetwa in the papers and my first encounter with this fearless woman was when I found myself at the notorious law and order section at Harare Central Police station. It was in the middle of a grueling and nerve breaking moment when she arrived in the company of members of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights team and I could see hope and confidence coming back to the faces of my colleagues, both men and women. Even though she was not assigned to our case she managed to come in to where we were being grilled to check on us. It was a tense situation, which no man would want to be associated with at that time but Beatrice’s presence changed the tense atmosphere.

In Zimbabwe lawyers like Beatrice have managed to defend successfully the rights of the vulnerable and as the accused yesterday she had her rights fought for by fellow human rights defenders. And if you value the work she has been doing show your support by signing a petition to set her free.

It isn’t hard to see who looks happier.

If you’ve got Internet access please sign the Avaaz petition to protest human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa’s detention.

Beatrice Mtetwa remanded to 3 April

Zimbabwe’s prominent human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa has been remanded in custody to 3 April. Her incarceration is a national disgrace and an outrage.

Reuters reports: “Mtetwa was arrested on Sunday and and accused of shouting at and taking pictures of police officers who were conducting a search at the house of one of Tsvangirai’s aides.”

According to Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, of which Mtetwa is a board member, her offence was simply asking the police to see their search warrant, and writing down a list of what was being taken by the police.

She has been detained along with four aides from the Prime Minister’s office.

In denying the bail application of Mtetwa and the four aides today, Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa said they would “continue to cause commotion and interfere with police investigations”.

Zimbabwe’s Education Minister David Coltart responded via Twitter: How ridiculous – where are the cartoonists out there – the diminutive Beatrice Mtetwa terrifying a bunch of huge policemen?