High Court Bars Police From Beating Up People During Lockdown
The High Court of Zimbabwe on Tuesday barred the police from beating up people and subjecting them to inhumane treatment when enforcing lockdown measures.
The order comes after there has been an upsurge in reports of military and police brutality against civilians accused of ignoring the stay-at-home order across the country.
Lucia Masvondo of Karoi was allegedly assaulted by security forces and bitten by dogs as she cooked on an open fire outside her house in the evening.
Masvondo, represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), applied to The High Court seeking an order overturning the lockdown order.
ZLHR filed an urgent chamber application with the High Court last Thursday, also challenging the lack of social distancing by police officers.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum says it has documented over 51 assault cases involving security agents, with most of the cases recorded in urban areas.
