‘State agents perpetrating political violence’

STATE security agents have been cited as the leading perpetrators of political violence through arbitrary arrests and detention of opposition members as the country heads for general elections on August 23 this year.

In its  2023 first-quarter political violence report, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (Forum) recorded 77 cases of violence with the majority of them (28) classified under arbitrary arrests and detention by the State.

These include the arrest of 26 opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) members, including legislators Amos Chibaya and Costa Machingauta in January 2023 on allegations of violating public order regulations by attending an unsanctioned meeting at a private residence in Budiriro, Harare.

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