‘It’s time to correct human rights record’

GLOBAL human rights lobby group, Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Zimbabwean electorate to seize the opportunity availed by the July 30 polls to elect leaders committed to improving the country’s battered human rights record.

In a statement titled Breaking away from the past: A human rights manifesto for Zimbabwe’s political parties and candidates, AI said under former President Robert Mugabe’s rule, the election period was synonymous with killings, disappearances and arrests of opposition activists.

“With Mugabe gone, there is a real opportunity for a fresh start for Zimbabwe and a chance to break with history and ensure that human rights are fully respected in the context of the elections and beyond,” AI regional deputy director Muleya Mwananyanda said.

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