HUMAN rights watchdogs have flagged government’s current crackdown against dissenting voices ahead of the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) summit scheduled for this month saying the arbitrary arrest of human rights activists should stop forthwith.
Government has since gone a gear up in crushing alleged dissent amid fears of planned protests during the summit.
Last week, four local pro-democracy activists were pulled off a Victoria Falls-bound plane at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport and allegedly tortured following their abduction.
These are Namatai Kwekweza, Robson Chere, Samuel Gwenzi and Vusumuzi Moyo, while more than 100 people are currently in detention following their arrest across the country since June.
In a statement, Heal Zimbabwe Trust expressed “deep concern” over escalating human rights violations in Zimbabwe ahead of the summit.
“We condemn strongly the on-going arbitrary arrests, abductions, torture, and widespread intimidation targeting pro-democracy campaigners, opposition activists and voices critical of the State.
“In recent weeks, we have seen an alarming rise in threats and human rights abuses against individuals and organisations advocating for human rights and democracy,” it said.
Police in June pounced on opposition Citizens Coalition for Change party supporters who were holding a meeting at top party member Jameson Timba’s house in Avondale, Harare.
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Seventy-nine opposition members were arrested including Timba and his son.
In July, police arrested 44 members of the Zimbabwe National Students Union at the Zesa Training Centre in Belvedere, Harare, following the eruption of violence which resulted in destruction of property.
“Over the past few days Heal Zimbabwe Trust has received numerous reports of pro-democracy campaigners and opposition activists intimidated by suspected State security agents, warning them against protesting during the coming Sadc summit."
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said the escalation of the crackdown on opposition supporters and members of the civic society was driven by hate speech and systematic intimidation by high-level government officials, including the Executive.
“The forum reminds the government that while it is important to maintain order and peace, the Constitution provides for freedom of association, assembly as well as freedom of speech. It is the right of every citizen to protest peacefully,” Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said in a statement.
“Since President Mnangagwa took power in November 2017, the country has witnessed a rise in State-sponsored human rights violations. Violence, intimidation, harassment and repression aimed principally at opposition members and civil society activists have restricted civic and political space.”
In a joint statement Zimbabwe Human Rights Association, Southern Defenders, WeLead, Women's Academy for Leadership, Women’s Institute for Leadership Development and Zinasu called on the international community to condemn the crackdown.
“. . . we urge the government to take concrete steps to protect the rights of human rights defenders and to create an enabling environment for civil society to operate freely,” they said.
“The international community and the region must also play their part in condemning this egregious human rights violation. We call upon regional and international bodies to exert pressure on Zimbabwe to respect the rights of its citizens and to adhere to its domestic and international human rights obligations.”
