ZIMBABWE’s human rights have been under a sustained attack over the past two decades, a prominent civil rights activist has said.
Zimbabwe Human Rights director Dzikamai Bere (pictured) told this publication in an interview that the systematic clampdown on civil liberties was perpetrated by the state through its security agencies.
He was speaking after being conferred with the director of the year award by the Nango.
“Human rights are under threat and Zimbabwe has been in a protractedsss human rights crisis for a long time now,” he said, highlighting the urgent need for intervention.”
“The human rights situation is deteriorating by the day. Our 2024 State of Peace Report identifies political activists as the main obstacle to peace.”
Bere pointed out that the state was also deploying lawfare to curtail basic civil liberties.
Commenting on the proposed Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment (PVO) Bill, the human rights activist noted that the proposed legislation would hinder civil rights bodies from undertaking their work.
Under the proposed legislation, the government will have the responsibility of regulating the activities of civic organisations.
Bere added: “That Bill is going to delegitimise over 70% of NGOs that are currently supporting communities in various ways including empowering them to hold their leaders to account, building resilience."
“Supporting access to health care and quality education at a time when the government is incapacitated by greed and corruption.”
If the legislation sails through, he observed, fundamental human rights would be wiped out.
He also singled out the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act (Mopa) as one vicious piece of legislation that constricts basic freedoms.
“The relevant law is the Maintenance of Peace and Order Act which imposes onerous conditions for exercising freedom of assembly and association and gives the police power to ban a gathering," Bere said
"To a great extent it is more of the selective application of the law,
"When ZimRights wanted to hold a procession on the launch of the Human Rights Manifesto, the police refused for the procession to go ahead."
But when some activists want to protest against sanctions, they get police protection. While the right to protest has been banned in Zimbabwe for everyone, anti-sanctions protestors have been allowed to put up their camp at the US embassy.
"That is selective application of the law." Bere said.
In the case of Zimbabwe, civil rights abuses included arbitrary arrest and torture of activists, among other violations.
“That development threatens a wholesale erosion of rights, creating a human rights crisis,” Bere said.
“This adds to already existing issues where the police in Zimbabwe have criminalised the right to protest and right to association. The police chose to arrest activists willingly and, in many cases, deploy torture on suspects instead of proper investigations.”
The Zimbabwe Human Rights director said state security agencies, particularly the police must respect the rule of law.
“The police must respect human rights and operate within the dictates of the law, decriminalising the rights to protest and allowing citizens to enjoy their freedom of assembly and association,” Bere said.
“All complaints against the police including allegations of torture must be investigated and the perpetrators must be punished to break the cycle of impunity.”
He called on the government to release detained political activists.
“All political prisoners must be released. Doing this will mark the beginning of a journey to a society that respects human dignity,” Bere said.