Police arrested the theatre producer and actor Silvanos Mudzvova on 13 April 2016 in Harare for staging his new one man play “Missing Diamonds, I Need My Share” in front of the Parliament building. The 30-minute play was inspired by President Robert Mugabe’s recent statements that about $15 billion raised from diamond sales was missing. After five minutes the performance was interrupted by the police and Mudzova was arrested together with journalists who were covering the event.
The same night Mudzova has been released without charge but beeing warned that he could disappear like other political activists.
Already in 2011, he and seven others were arrested and detained for 48 hours for putting on a play entitled ‘Rituals’ and were later charged with criminal nuisance and disturbing the peace. The case was later dismissed.In 2007, he and another actor were arrested at the premiere of his play ‘Final Push’, which was seen by some as an instigation to remove Mugabe’s party Zanu PF from power.

Sources: Newsday.zw; Dailynews. zw; artsfreedom.org