Regional rights defenders engage govt over crackdown

SOUTHERN Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (Southern Defenders) have written to Foreign Affair minister Frederick Shava over the worrying trend of suppression of civil space, arrests of opposition members and threats to dissenting voices ahead of the Sadc Heads of State and Government Summit.

This comes as government has gone on a rampage crushing dissenting voices amid fears of protests during the Sadc summit scheduled for Saturday, with over 100 pro-democracy and opposition activists in arbitrary detention.

Southern Defenders chairperson Adriano Nuvunga said government should immediately release those arrested for simply practising their constitutional rights.

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