THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has challenged the government to uphold human rights amid concerns over a recent spate of arrests and alleged torture of activists by suspected State agents.
The ZHRC, in a statement, said the enforcement of any laws must be done with due regard to human rights and freedoms.
The commission said authorities must ensure arrests are justified by sufficient evidence and suspicion, while aligned with constitutional principles.
“Law enforcers must remember that they must arrest only when they hold reasonable suspicion of the commission of an actual crime and not to arrest in order to investigate as that would be illegal,” the commission said.
ZHRC said violation of fundamental rights of arrested and detained persons would ultimately be an exercise in futility. Amnesty International recently indicated that more than 160 people have been arrested since mid-June.
The commission said the government should also investigate allegations on abusing of power.
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“The ZHRC condemns any acts of abuse of power by State agencies and in this case seeks to establish the facts and circumstances involved in these allegations,” the statement said.
“All institutions in the justice delivery system must ensure that all due processes of the law are followed to ensure justice is done and that all offenders are brought to justice, the perpetrators of these heinous acts, if proved, need to be identified and prosecuted,” the commission said.