Amnesty International has called for the immediate release of journalist Blessed Mhlanga, who was arrested on 24 February 2025. He is charged with “transmitting data messages that incite violence or damage to property.”
Before his arrest, Mhlanga interviewed a war veteran and former senior member of the ruling ZANU PF party, who criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Said Amnesty International:
<blockquote>
The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Blessed Mhlanga as he is detained solely for the peaceful exercise of his human rights. Authorities must drop all the charges against him.
Blessed Mhlanga’s detention is arbitrary and in contravention of Zimbabwe’s constitutional and international obligations to respect and uphold the right of everyone to freedom of expression and press freedom.
</blockquote>
On 21 February, the Zimbabwe Republic Police announced they were looking for Mhlanga for allegedly violating Section 164 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
Mhlanga voluntarily presented himself to the police on 24 February, where he was arrested and charged with “transmitting data messages that incite violence or damage to property.”
On 25 February, the Harare Magistrate Court denied him bail, and his appeal was also rejected by the High Court. His trial is set for 4 April 2025.
Mhlanga’s detention seems connected to an interview he conducted with Blessed Geza on 27 January and 11 February, where Geza criticized President Emmerson Mnangagwa and called for his resignation due to corruption and worsening economic conditions in Zimbabwe.
This isn’t the first time Mhlanga has been targeted for his journalistic work. In May 2022, he was arrested and charged with “disorderly conduct” after recording the arrest of former opposition MP Job Sikhala.
Police allegedly assaulted him, broke his phone, and arrested him even after he identified himself as a journalist. He was later acquitted.

Pindula News

Amnesty International wants journalist Blessed Mhlanga to be released. He was arrested for sending messages that may cause trouble. He interviewed someone who criticized the President. Police are looking for him for breaking the law. Mhlanga gave himself up and was arrested. He was denied bail and now has to wait for a trial. This is not the first time he has been in trouble for his work. He was once arrested for recording an arrest and got hurt by the police.

Amnesty International Demands Blessed Mhlanga's Immediate And Unconditional Release

Sheffra Dzamara, the wife of Itai Dzamara—a journalist and pro-democracy activist who was forcibly disappeared ten years ago—says she will never stop seeking answers until she knows the whereabouts of her husband.
Itai Dzamara was abducted on 9 March 2015 after publicly criticising the Zimbabwean government for its handling of the country’s worsening economic crisis. Since then, he has not been seen or heard from, and his fate remains unknown.
A decade later, Sheffra has opened up to Amnesty International, recounting the events of that tragic morning and the painful years that have followed, as she continues her relentless search for justice and closure. She wrote:
<blockquote>
9 March 2015, the day Itai was abducted, was a normal day.
He went to the barbershop at 9am wearing black shorts and his Manchester United jersey. Looking back at that morning, there are so many things I wish I had said to him. 
As I was preparing his breakfast for when he returned, my brother came running in, and told me that my husband was taken from the barbershop, by men driving a white Isuzu with no registration number.
When I heard this, fear engulfed me. I knew that it was an abduction. It was bad, I started shaking and crying. 
I did not know what to do or who to call, but I wanted to hear the facts directly from the people who witnessed the abduction. 
I took my daughter and put her on my back – she was two years old then – and went straight to the barbershop. 
When I arrived, I was still shaking. Even the barber and his colleague were shaking too as they told me what happened.
It was very fast. Five men walked in and said they were looking for a cattle thief. While Itai was perplexed, the men grabbed him and said they were taking him to the police to be questioned. Itai has not been seen since then.
I walked back from the barber like a zombie. I felt the whole world falling down on me. My head was spinning. I was not myself; I was confused and did not know what to do. I was shattered. I wanted to scream and cry but when I looked at my daughter and son, I knew I had to control myself.
I got home and changed my clothes, not realizing that I was wearing my skirt inside out. That’s how confused I was. 
I left my kids with my sister, and went with Itai’s brother Patson, and our lawyer to report the case to the police, who promised to investigate.
When I returned home around 6pm, I was afraid to go through the gate thinking maybe the abductors would come back and abduct us as well. I had to be strong for my kids. 
I did not sleep that night. My heart was pounding so hard. At 4am, I left the house and went to the barbershop hoping, praying that maybe, they would have brought him back, but he was not there.
The next day, my kids and I were taken to an organization where we stayed for a month for our safety. I lost weight from fasting and praying for my husband to be released from his abductors. I could not eat or sleep. My heart was always beating fast. I would cry at night so that my kids didn’t t see me.
</blockquote>
Since Itai’s enforced disappearance, life has never been the same for Sheffra. She is constantly reminded of him whenever she looks at their children, as both resemble their father. She said:
<blockquote>
Life has not been the same since Itai was abducted. The last 10 years have been hard. I am reminded of him every time I look at my kids because both look like their dad. 
It hurts not to have Itai in my life and to see my kids missing him and growing up without a father who loved them so dearly. I don’t have any answers, but I feel blessed to have my two kids. When I look at them l feel God’s grace.
The police never came back to give any update. As far as I know, they never even investigated the case. They were not interested in finding Itai. 
Even the Zimbabwe High Court order could not get the police find my husband or tell us what happened to him.
As a family we did everything to get answers. For the past 10 years the government of Zimbabwe has ignored my requests and turned a blind eye to the demand for answers by everyone including friends, activists, civil society organizations, media and the international community.
I wish for Itai to one day walk through the front door and hug me and the kids or to wake up to find that this was all a bad dream. If I must live without him, then I need answers, I need to know where he is.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2025/03/i-will-not-stop-asking-until-i-know-the-whereabouts-of-my-husband/">Amnesty International</a>

Sheffra Dzamara's husband, Itai Dzamara, disappeared 10 years ago after criticizing the Zimbabwean government. She is still searching for him and won't stop until she knows what happened. Itai was taken from a barbershop by men in a white Isuzu, and has not been seen since. Sheffra has been living in fear and confusion since his disappearance. The police did not investigate the case, leaving Sheffra with no answers. She hopes one day Itai will come back or she will find out what happened to him. She wishes for closure and justice.

Sheffra Dzamara: "I Won’t Stop Until I Know Where My Husband Is"

Amnesty International has urged Zimbabwean authorities to immediately and unconditionally release over 70 opposition members which it said were detained solely for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.
The detained individuals are members of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party, and they were arrested on June 16, 2024, while gathered at the home of the party’s interim leader, Jameson Timba.
Both the Magistrates Court and the High Court have denied them bail since their arrest.
Khanyo Farise, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/07/zimbabwe-authorities-must-immediately-release-detained-opposition-members/">said</a>:
<blockquote>
Zimbabwean authorities must immediately and unconditionally release the CCC opposition party members and drop all the charges against them. Their arbitrary, month-long detention is an outrage which must end now.
This lengthy, baseless detention plainly violates Zimbabwe’s Constitution and its international human rights obligations.
Authorities must end the crackdown on civic space and ensure everyone can freely speak and gather peacefully without fear of arrest or torture and other ill-treatment.
</blockquote>
On Wednesday, High Court Judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi dismissed an appeal filed by the CCC activists against the denial of bail by Magistrate Ruth Moyo.
The judge upheld the magistrate’s decision, resulting in the continued detention of the 74 CCC activists.
However, one accused individual, Maxwell Sande, who is below the age of 18 years, was released into the custody of his father, Cecil Sande.
The CCC activists are charged with holding an unlawful gathering to plan anti-government protests.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Amnesty wants Zimbabwe to set free opposition members arrested for their rights. Over 70 CCC members were arrested in June 2024 at the party leader's home and have been denied bail. Amnesty says their long detention is wrong. Recently, a judge upheld their detention except for one under 18. The activists are accused of planning protests. Amnesty wants the crackdown to stop so people can speak and gather freely without fear. They want all charges dropped and the activists freed now.

Amnesty International Calls For "Unconditional" Release Of Detained CCC Activists

Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa Khanyo Farisè has called for the release of more than 70 members of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party following a mass arrest on 16 June 2024.
The 78 CCC members, including interim party leader Jameson Timba, were arrested at Timba’s house where they were commemorating the International Day of the African Child. Said Farisè:
<blockquote>
The arrest and continued arbitrary detention of 77 opposition members who had peacefully gathered at a private residence is part of a disturbing pattern of repression against people exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.
Zimbabwean authorities must immediately and unconditionally release these opposition members and drop all charges against them.
Authorities must also uphold Zimbabwe’s constitutional and international human rights obligations including the rights to peaceful assembly, liberty and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment.
Authorities must promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, transparently and effectively investigate allegations that some of those arrested were tortured while in police custody and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible. Authorities must also ensure those affected receive urgent medical attention.
</blockquote>
One of the individuals arrested was a nursing mother, and another was a 17-year-old minor who has since been released to the custody of his parent.
The group were held in custody for more than 48 hours without appearing before a competent court, which violates the law.
On 17 June, police charged the detainees with “gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct.”
77 CCC activists remain in remand and their bail application will continue this Thursday, June 20.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Amnesty International Demand Immediate Release Of Detained 77 CCC Activists

Amnesty International has demanded that the Zimbabwean government reveal the whereabouts of pro-democracy activist and journalist Itai Dzamara who was forcibly disappeared nine years ago.
Dzamara, a journalist and pro-democracy activist, was abducted by suspected State agents in Harare on 9 March 2015.
Ahead of the ninth anniversary of Dzamara’s enforced disappearance, Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
<blockquote>
Nine years after the enforced disappearance of Itai Dzamara, the Zimbabwean authorities continue to impede the delivery of justice, truth, and reparations.
Their failure to launch an effective investigation into Dzamara’s disappearance sends the chilling message that activists seeking to demand accountability from the government are no longer safe.
Itai Dzamara’s family and friends have endured nine painful years waiting for truth and justice over his enforced disappearance. His family needs closure from the agonizing uncertainty they have been subjected to.
The feeling of insecurity and fear that his disappearance has generated is not limited to his close relatives but also affects the broader civil society community.
</blockquote>
Chikwanda reiterated Amnesty International’s call for the government to set up an independent, judge-led Commission of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Dzamara’s abduction, with powers to subpoena witnesses.
She said the findings of the Commission of Inquiry must be made public and those suspected of criminal responsibility should be brought to justice in fair trials.
Dzamara was abducted on 9 March 2015 by five men while he was at a barber shop in Harare’s Glen View suburb.
His abductors reportedly accused him of stealing cattle before handcuffing him, forcing him into a white truck with concealed number plates, and driving off. He has not been seen since then.
Before his abduction, on 7 March 2015, Itai had addressed a rally in Harare where he called for mass action to address the deteriorating economic conditions in Zimbabwe and for the late President Robert Mugabe to step down.
He was previously targeted by state security agents, beaten, abducted, and unlawfully detained.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zim Government Must Reveal Itai Dzamara's Whereabouts - Amnesty International

Amnesty International has described the conviction of former Member of Parliament Job Sikhala for “publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state” as a travesty of justice.
Harare regional magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka on Thursday handed Sikhala a nine-month wholly suspended sentence on the condition he does not commit a similar offence in the next five years.
She also fined Sikhala US$500, the failure of which he will spend two months in prison.
Responding to Sikhala’s conviction and sentencing, Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
<blockquote>
The conviction of Job Sikhala is a travesty of justice as it is based on a law that no longer exists in Zimbabwe and has been used to silence peaceful dissent.
The legal provision that was applied to convict Sikhala was declared void by the Constitutional Court in 2014. The High Court confirmed this in another case in 2021.
Sikhala’s conviction and sentencing, which comes barely three weeks after his release from 595 days in pretrial detention, highlights the escalating repression and shrinking space for exercising the rights to freedom of expression and association in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwean authorities must quash the conviction and sentence and stop weaponizing the criminal justice system to target and harass political opponents and individuals exercising their right to freedom of expression both online and offline.
Authorities must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of everyone in the country.
</blockquote>
Sikhala was arrested on 11 January 2021 and another opposition activist, Fadzayi Mahere, had been arrested three days earlier (08 January), for “publishing or communicating false statements prejudicial to the state”.
The charges were related to a viral video of a woman tussling with a police officer while holding a motionless baby in her hands in January 2021.
Mahere was arrested and detained for seven days before being granted bail. She was later convicted and sentenced to pay a fine of US$500.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Sikhala's Conviction A Travesty Of Justice - Amnesty International

Amnesty International has commended the move by Zimbabwe’s cabinet to back abolition of the death penalty saying capital punishment “has no place in our world.”
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 06 February, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Jenfan Muswere said Cabinet had resolved to back the Private Member’s Bill which seeks to abolish the death penalty.
Muswere said while approving the Bill to abolish the death penalty, Cabinet still wanted the new law to impose lengthy sentences to deter murder.
Responding to the development, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Khanyo Farisè said:
<blockquote>
Zimbabwe has taken the right step towards ending this abhorrent and inhuman form of punishment that has no place in our world.
Now that the cabinet has given its nod, Parliament must ensure the death penalty is truly abolished by voting to pass legislation that will make this a reality.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/02/zimbabwe-cabinets-move-to-abolish-death-penalty-marks-progress/">reportedly</a> carried out its last execution in 2005 but death sentences have continued to be imposed.
At independence in 1980, there were nine crimes punishable by death under Zimbabwean law.
Currently, offenders cab be sentenced to death for three offences, namely treason; where the act of insurgency, banditry, sabotage or terrorism results in the death of a person; for murder and for attempted murder or incitement or conspiracy to commit murder.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe Cabinet’s Move To Abolish Death Penalty Marks Progress - Amnesty International

<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Job_Sikhala/">Job Sikhala</a>‘s application for release was denied once again this Friday, which means he will remain in Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. The trial will resume on 20 November 2023.
Sikhala, a member of the opposition group Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and a former Member of Parliament, has been in prison since June 2022 for allegedly inciting public violence. He is being represented by Jeremiah Bamu and <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Harrison_Nkomo/">Harrison Nkomo</a> from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).
<h3>Some Context:</h3>
Sikhala, who has been in prison for over a year, was arrested on 14 June 2022 by ZRP officers. He was charged with incitement to commit public violence, as defined in section 187(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act.
According to prosecutors, Sikhala allegedly recorded and shared a video in which he encouraged people to engage in acts of public violence as a response to the death of <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Moreblessing_Ali/">Moreblessing Ali</a>, who had been missing for three weeks before being found murdered and mutilated on 11 June 2022 in the Nyatsime area of Beatrice.
The prosecution claims that Sikhala provided vehicles that transported supporters of the CCC party from Chitungwiza and Epworth to Nyatsime. It is alleged that these supporters then attacked ZANU PF party supporters, damaged shops and beer halls, looted groceries and electrical gadgets, and even set fire to a one-roomed house owned by George Murambatsvina, the ZANU PF party Councillor for Nyatsime.
Sikhala says he did not commit the alleged crimes and denies the charges brought against him. He believes that he is being treated as a political prisoner because he has spoken out against the authoritarian rule of the ruling ZANU PF party. Despite his pleas, he has been denied bail multiple times, meaning he has been unable to secure his release from prison.
Responding to the continued detention of Job Sikhala, who has spent 500 days in pretrial detention, Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, said:
<blockquote>
Job Sikhala’s prolonged detention while he awaits trial is a gross miscarriage of justice and an indictment of Zimbabwe’s judicial system. It exemplifies how authorities are abusing the courts to silence opposition leaders, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other critical dissenting voices.
Job Sikhala’s prolonged detention while he awaits trial is a gross miscarriage of justice and an indictment of Zimbabwe’s judicial system. It exemplifies how authorities are abusing the courts to silence opposition leaders, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other critical dissenting voices
</blockquote>
Khanyo Farisè has called on the authorities to stop using the law to target opposition figures and ordinary citizens. Farisè emphasises that activists and human rights defenders should not be harassed or intimidated through the courts. Everyone should have the freedom to express themselves without fear of retaliation, Farisè added.
Farisè states that the right to a fair trial is a fundamental human right recognised globally, and the authorities in Zimbabwe should respect it. Amnesty International says that the charges against Sikhala are politically motivated and solely based on his peaceful exercise of human rights. The human rights watchdog says authorities have also not shown the necessity of keeping him in detention while awaiting trial. Amnesty International calls for his immediate and unconditional release. They urge the international community to strongly condemn the ongoing harassment against him.
The State claims to have strong evidence that proves Sikhala is guilty of the crime he is accused of. They argue against granting him bail because they believe he has a history of not obeying his bail conditions in the past. The State thinks that if he is granted bail again, there is a high chance that he will break the conditions once more.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Job Sikhala’s Application For Release Dismissed Again, Amnesty International Reacts

Amnesty International has urged the Zimbabwean government to investigate the enforced disappearance and torture of Nelson Mukwenha, a CCC political activist.
Mukwenha was allegedly abducted by suspected State security agents on 26 August.
Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, Khanyo Farisè, said those responsible for Mukwenha’s disappearance and torture should be brought to justice. Said Farisè:
<blockquote>
Amnesty International strongly condemns the enforced disappearance and torture of Nelson Mukwenha, allegedly at the hands of Zimbabwe’s security forces.
Authorities must conduct a prompt, thorough, impartial, independent, effective, and transparent investigation into Mukwenha’s disappearance and torture.
The findings of any investigation must be made public and those suspected to be responsible must be brought to justice in fair trials.
Everyone, regardless of their political outlook, should be able to freely express themselves and participate in peaceful activism without the fear of abduction or harm.
The Zimbabwean authorities must respect, protect, promote and fulfill the right of everyone to physical security and safety.
The Zimbabwean authorities must ensure that enforced disappearances and abductions are treated as extremely serious crimes, and ensure justice and accountability.
</blockquote>
Amnesty International said on 26 August 2023, Mukwenha was part of a crowd of people that prevented suspected security officials from abducting Promise Mkwananzi, spokesperson of the CCC, during a press conference in Harare.
Later that evening, Mukwenha was reportedly picked up by suspected security officials at his home in Highfields, Harare.
Mukwenha was then tortured and dumped in a forest in Mapinga, Mashonaland West Province.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

CCC Activist Abducted, Tortured And Dumped

Amnesty International, an international human rights organisation, has strongly condemned the violent murder of Tinashe Edson Chitsunge, a supporter of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The attack is believed to have been carried out by suspected members of the ZANU PF party in the Glen View South area. Amnesty International has called on the Zimbabwean government to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into Chitsunge’s death, bring the perpetrators to justice, and take preventive measures to avoid similar incidents in the future.
The organisation also urged the authorities to ensure access to justice and effective remedies for Chitsunge’s family. Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, Khanyo Farisè, expressed concern over the deteriorating human rights environment in Zimbabwe ahead of the upcoming general elections. Farisè said:
<blockquote>
We call on Zimbabwe’s authorities to promptly launch a thorough, independent, impartial, transparent, and effective investigation into Tinashe Chitsunge’s death and ensure that suspected perpetrators are brought to justice. Authorities must ensure access to justice and effective remedies for Tinashe Chitsunge and his family.
Authorities must take all necessary steps to prevent acts of politically motivated violence and refrain from issuing inflammatory statements that could incite similar attacks or deter people from freely exercising their human rights and expressing support to political parties of their choice.
The fatal attack on Chitsunge, a CCC activist, paints a grim picture of the human rights environment in Zimbabwe ahead of general elections scheduled for 23 August 2023.
Such callous acts of violence, which have repeatedly marred Zimbabwe’s political landscape, gravely threaten the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
Authorities must ensure a peaceful environment before, during and after the elections by fully respecting, protecting, promoting, and fulfilling the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression.
</blockquote>
The Election Resource Centre (ERC) also condemned the violence and called for a swift investigation by relevant authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent further incidents of election-related violence. ERC said in a statement said:
<blockquote>
The right to life is sacrosanct and nobody has the right to take it away. Freedom of association and assembly are fundamental rights for anyone in Zimbabwe. The right to own private property is guaranteed in the Constitution and acts of arson as reported in Shurugwi must be condemned.
With eighteen (18) days to the polls, as ERC, we urge a prompt and thorough investigation by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, that will bring to justice the perpetrators of these acts of violence.
</blockquote>
The ERC calls on political leaders to prevent and address political violence, disciplining their members and eliminating intimidation to preserve election integrity. They urge an immediate cessation of escalating election-related violence, incitement, and hate speech. The ERC emphasises the need for a peaceful environment that upholds democratic principles and allows citizens to freely exercise their rights. They urge relevant authorities to conduct thorough investigations, hold perpetrators accountable, and contribute to a safe atmosphere for the upcoming elections.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Amnesty International Condemns Murder Of CCC Supporter In Harare, Zimbabwe

Amnesty International has said Zimbabwe’s upcoming general election will take place in the context of five years of systematic, brutal crackdowns on human rights.
The run-up to the 2023 general elections has been characterised by restrictions on political opposition gatherings, the violent suppression of protests and the criminalization of state critics, according to Amnesty International.
Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/07/zimbabwe-elections-in-the-context-of-systematic-human-rights-violations-and-criminalization-of-state-critics/">said</a>:
<blockquote>
What we have seen in Zimbabwe over the past five years amounts to a brutal crackdown on human rights, especially the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association.
Respect for socio-economic rights has also declined dramatically, leaving many people in abject poverty with no means to put food on the table.
The Zimbabwean authorities have revealed their brazen contempt for basic freedoms and shown that there is no space for dissent in the so-called ‘second republic’.
The police have also repeatedly resorted to excessive use of force to suppress human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly.
</blockquote>
Farisè urged the Zimbabwean Government to respect, protect, promote and fulfill the human rights of everyone before, during and after the election. She said:
<blockquote>
Over the past five years, the Zimbabwean authorities have demonstrated little or no respect for human rights and have repeatedly flouted the rule of law.
As political campaigning enters full swing, the authorities must ensure that people are able to freely exercise their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
Authorities must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of everyone before, during and after the election.
</blockquote>
All elections held in Zimbabwe since the year 2000 have been marred by allegations of intimidation and irregularities.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe Is Cracking Down On Dissent Ahead Of Elections, Says Amnesty International

Amnesty International has expressed concern over the lack of progress in the investigation into the disappearance of journalist and pro-democracy activist, Itai Dzamara, who went missing eight years ago. The organization has called on Zimbabwean authorities to conduct a transparent, independent, and effective investigation into his disappearance, and to bring the suspected perpetrators to justice.
Amnesty International has reiterated its call for the government to establish an independent judge-led Commission of Inquiry with powers to subpoena witnesses and ensure the safety and protection of members of the public who with powers to subpoena witnesses and ensure the safety and protection of members of the public who wish to contribute to the investigation. Itai Dzamara was abducted in 2015 by five men and has not been seen since. He had previously criticized the handling of Zimbabwe’s economy and had been targeted by state security agents. Lucia Masuka, Executive Director of Amnesty International Zimbabwe said:
<blockquote>
The failure of Zimbabwean authorities to account for the enforced disappearance of Itai Dzamara, eight years after he was last seen, speaks volumes about the lack of political will to account for him.
The world and Itai Dzamara’s family want truth and justice for his disappearance. His family also want to be freed from the agonizing uncertainty they have been subjected to since his disappearance.
Today, we join Itai’s family in calling on the Zimbabwean authorities to conduct a thorough, independent, effective, and transparent investigation into Itai Dzamara’s disappearance.
</blockquote>
Itai Dzamara was forcefully taken on 9 March 2015 from a barber shop in Harare’s Glen View suburb by five men who accused him of stealing cattle. After handcuffing him, they forced him into a white truck with concealed number plates and drove off. 
Amnesty International believes he is a victim of enforced disappearance. Prior to his abduction, Dzamara called for former President Robert Mugabe to step down and criticized his handling of Zimbabwe’s economy. He had been targeted by state security agents, beaten, abducted, and unlawfully detained.
Despite a court order instructing the government to give regular updates on the search efforts for Dzamara, no meaningful investigation has taken place, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Amnesty Concerned Over Lack Of Progress In Dzamara Disappearance Investigation

Amnesty International (AI) has urged Zimbabwean authorities to revoke the conviction and sentencing of opposition leader, Jacob Ngarivhume, to 48 months imprisonment on charges of inciting public violence.
Ngarivhume was on Friday sentenced to four years in jail following his conviction the previous day of public violence incitement charges by Harare magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka. However, 12 months were conditionally suspended.
Vongai Chikwanda, Amnesty International’s Interim Deputy Director in Southern Africa said Ngarivhume was simply exercising his freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Chikwanda said Ngarivhume’s conviction demonstrates a growing crackdown against opposition voices and dissent by Zimbabwean authorities. Said Chikwanda:
<blockquote>
Jacob Ngarivhume faces four years in prison, of which a year is suspended, for organizing and leading a peaceful protest in July 2020 against corruption and denial of socio-economic rights to the people of Zimbabwe.
It is unthinkable that Jacob Ngarivhume has been sent to prison for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
Authorities must quash this sentence. Ngarivhume’s sentencing is a cynical ploy to suppress dissent and it is an abuse of the justice system to intimidate and harass opposition voices.
Jacob Ngarivhume’s conviction and sentencing show a growing crackdown on opposition leaders, human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other critical dissenting voices through abuse of the legal system.
Authorities must stop weaponizing the law to target opposition figures or anyone who speaks out against corruption.
</blockquote>
Ngarivhume, a former MDC Alliance principal, was arrested after leading and organising the 31 July 2020 anti-corruption protests.
He was accused of inciting public violence by using his Twitter handle to convene the 31 July 2020 nationwide anti-corruption protests which were suppressed by security forces.
Harare magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka convicted Ngarivhume on Thursday, 27 April 2023.
He was sentenced on Friday, 28 April to 48 months imprisonment, with 12 months suspended.
Ngarivhume will effectively serve 36 months in prison without the option of a fine.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Amnesty International Says Ngarivhume's Conviction Should Be Quashed

Amnesty International (AI) says as Zimbabweans mark forty-three years of independence from colonial rule, the reality is that the civic space is shrinking rapidly.
In a statement released this Tuesday, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa Flavia Mwangovya, said Zimbabwean authorities have criminalised dissent against political activists and human rights defenders. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
Forty-three years after independence, authorities are still yet to guarantee in practice the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly which are increasingly being threatened despite being guaranteed under the constitution and international law.
The right to freedom of peaceful assembly has continuously been violated and undermined with the authorities refusing to give clearance for some of the main opposition party’s rallies, arresting and convicting peaceful protesters and using unnecessary and excessive force to stop protests.
As Zimbabwe approaches elections later this year, freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly have come under increasing attack.
Dissenting voices are being criminalized, with some opposition activists put in lengthy pre-trial detentions.
Authorities must stop criminalizing dissent and ensure the levelling of the playing field as the country fast approaches the elections.
The opposition must be free to carry out their campaigns and individuals and groups must be protected from politically motivated violence.
Authorities must promote, protect and uphold the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, as well as guarantee the socio-economic rights of every Zimbabwean.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe's 43rd Independence Commemoration Marred By Decline In Freedoms - Amnesty International

A non-governmental organisation, Amnesty International, has urged President Emmerson Mnangagwa to reject the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) Amendment Bill saying it shrinks the democratic space in Zimbabwe.
The PVOs Amendment Bill sailed through Senate recently, with all Senators except Morgen Komichi (MDC Alliance) voting for it to be passed into law, according to <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/amnesty-international-pleads-with-ed-to-block-pvo/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>.
The Bill now awaits the assent of President Mnangagwa to become an Act.
Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Director for East and Southern Africa, said the Bill if passed into law in its current form, will have dire consequences for civic society organizations in Zimbabwe. Said Chagutah:
<blockquote>
The PVO Amendment Bill in its current form threatens civic society organizations working on human rights in Zimbabwe.
The proposed bill, if it becomes law, will have dire consequences, including restricting civic space and access to humanitarian support services in Zimbabwe as it will immediately render all Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), not registered as PVOs, illegal.
This Bill, if passed by the president, could be used to deny registration of human rights organizations due to the work that they do, including defending rights such as freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
The Bill would also exacerbate the growing crackdown on civil society organizations, increase human rights violations and make it more difficult for the people to hold the government to account.
There is a risk that employees and board members of NGOs could be arrested and subjected to punitive measures, including imprisonment, simply for doing their work.
President Mnangagwa must use his leadership position to reject this Bill as it is repressive. The President must ensure that this Bill is never signed into law.
Any future law must fully reflect international human rights standards and reaffirm the country’s human rights obligations towards the promotion and protection of the human rights of everyone including those who work to defend the rights of other people.
NGOs must be allowed to operate freely and to do their work without any reprisals.
</blockquote>

Amnesty International Urges Mnangagwa To Reject PVOs Amendment Bill

Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for East and Southern Africa, Flavia Mwangovya, has condemned the brutal attacks against opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC) supporters by suspected ZANU PF activists in Murewa North recently.
Mwangovya described the attacks as “callous” and urged the Zimbabwean government to ensure that the upcoming general elections are held in a peaceful environment. Said Mwangovya:
<blockquote>
This callous, politically motivated attack against older people who had simply attended a gathering for a political opposition party is outrageous.
Such cruel acts of violence, which have repeatedly marred Zimbabwe’s political landscape in the past, gravely threaten the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
These attacks are clearly intended to harass and intimidate members of the political opposition in the months leading up to Zimbabwe’s upcoming election and could have a chilling effect throughout the country.
The Zimbabwean authorities must take all necessary steps to prevent acts of politically motivated violence and refrain from issuing inflammatory statements that could incite similar attacks or deter people from expressing support for the political parties of their choice.
Authorities must launch a thorough, independent and impartial investigation and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
The Zimbabwean authorities must also urgently launch a thorough, independent and impartial investigation into these assaults and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice in fair trials.
They must also fully respect and protect the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly in the lead-up to, during, and after the upcoming election.
</blockquote>
<h2>Background</h2>
In a viral social media video, which appears to have been filmed by one of the assailants, a group of suspected ZANU PF supporters can be seen kicking and beating with sticks older people in Ward 4 of Bhunu Village, Murehwa North, a rural district of Mashonaland East Province.
In the short clip, older men and women can be seen being assaulted and interrogated for attending a political gathering for the Nelson Chamisa-led CCC. | <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/01/zimbabwe-violent-attacks-against-political-opposition-supporters/">Amnesty International</a>

Amnesty International Condemns "Callous" Attacks Against CCC Supporters In Murewa

Amnesty International (AI) has welcomed the abolishment of the death penalty in Zambia.
Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema on Friday 23 December 2022 announced that he had assented to a law banning the death penalty and the offence of criminal defamation of the president.
Responding to this development, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah said:
<blockquote>
Amnesty International welcomes the announcement by President Hichilema that the death penalty has been abolished in Zambia. This is a good and progressive move that shows the country’s commitment to protecting the right to life.
Amnesty International welcomes the announcement by President Hichilema that the death penalty has been abolished in Zambia. This is a good and progressive move that shows the country’s commitment to protecting the right to life.
We also commend President Hichilema for quashing the offence of criminal defamation of the president, used until recently to muzzle free speech and unjustifiably limit freedom of expression in the country.
With the abolition, Zambia is the 25th country in sub-Saharan Africa to abolish the death penalty for all crimes.
Zambia’s decision to ban the death penalty should serve as an example to countries in the region that still use the death penalty and compel them to take immediate steps to end this cruel, inhuman and degrading form of punishment and protect the right to life.
</blockquote>
AI also urged Zambia authorities to accede to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. | <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/12/zambia-amnesty-international-welcomes-the-abolishment-of-the-death-penalty/">Amnesty International</a>

Amnesty International Welcomes Abolishment Of Death Penalty In Zambia

Amnesty International (AI) has called on Zimbabwean authorities to release Members of Parliament Job Sikhala (Zengeza West) and Godfrey Sithole (Chitungwiza North).
Today, 21 September 2022, marks 100 days since Sikhala and Sithole were jailed at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
The Executive Director of Amnesty International Zimbabwe, Lucia Masuka, said the continued incarceration of the opposition legislators reveals the politicisation of the justice system in Zimbabwe. <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/09/zimbabwe-authorities-must-release-opposition-mps/">Said Masuka</a>:
<blockquote>
The ongoing arbitrary detention of Sikhala and Sithole is unjust and abusive. It has caused unspeakable emotional distress to them and their families.
Zimbabwean authorities cannot continue to incarcerate Sikhala and Sithole on trumped-up charges. They must be released immediately and unconditionally.
… The continued incarceration of Sikhala and Sithole is a travesty of justice. They are victims of a government hellbent on silencing opposition voices.
Zimbabwean authorities must stop criminalizing dissent and instead create a conducive environment for people to freely express themselves.
</blockquote>
Sikhala and Sithole were arrested on 14 June 2022 after attending the funeral of political activist, Moreblessing Ali, who was abducted and killed by people with suspected links to ZANU PF.
Ali was missing for three weeks before being found murdered and her body mutilated on 11 June 2022.
Sikhala, Sithole and 14 CCC members are being accused of encouraging their supporters to cause violence in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza, during Ali’s memorial.
They are facing charges of inciting violence and obstruction of justice and were denied bail several times by the courts.

Amnesty International Demands Immediate And Unconditional Release Of Sikhala

Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the arrest of more than a dozen University of Zimbabwe (UZ) students who were arrested following a protest at the Mt Pleasant Campus on Monday.
The students were peacefully protesting against the recent unilateral tuition fee hikes which they felt were too exorbitant and beyond the reach of many.
In a statement Thursday, Lucia Masuka, Executive Director of Amnesty International Zimbabwe, urged authorities to drop the charges against the students. She said:
<blockquote>
Authorities must drop sinister charges against University of Zimbabwe students who have been peacefully protesting high fees and affirm their right to freedom of assembly and expression.
It is such a travesty of justice that these students are having to spend time in detention and courtrooms for simply asking for affordable education so that they can remain in lecture rooms.
The arrests of these students, who were protesting peacefully, are a violation of their right to protest.
Authorities must respect students’ right to peaceful protest and drop all charges against them.
We consider the arrests to be arbitrary and call on the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to respect the freedom to petition and demonstrate as guaranteed by the constitution.
</blockquote>
The 14 students who were arrested on Monday, detained and charged with disorderly conduct were identified as Thelma Nzero, Mufaro Vhutuza, Owen Mashaya, Tinashe Zana, Tinotenda Mwenje, Fletcher Katehwe, Havana Mtetwa, Natasha Dhliwayo, Ropafadzo Mutangadura, Fatima Ajida, Tsungai Chitodha, Beyond Wendy Siwela, David Musasa, and Godknows Zabhura.
Five other students were arrested on Wednesday. They have been identified as Tivimba Musengi, Tinotenda Mangana, Hazel Gwande, Tanyaradzwa Nzvimbo, and Charles Moyo.
Some of the students were released on bail while others were released late on Tuesday after paying ZW$2 000 admission of guilt fines for disorderly conduct.
The students were represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). | <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/amnesty-international-condemns-crackdown-on-protesting-uz-students-calls-for-end-to-arbitrary-arrests/">New Zimbabwe.com</a>

Amnesty International Condemns Arrest Of UZ Students

Amnesty International (AI) has called upon the Government of Zimbabwe to engage private transporters to find a solution to the transport crisis.
This comes after Zimbabwe United Passengers Company (ZUPCO) drivers and conductors reportedly downed tools over salary and COVID-19 allowance arrears dating back to 2020.
The strike comes at a time commuters are spending hours in queues waiting for transport as ZUPCO fails to cope with demand.
In a statement on Friday, 6 May, AI urged the Government to address the transport crisis urgently. It said:
<blockquote>
Amnesty International calls upon the government to address this challenge by opening up the public transport sector to private players with proper guidelines to ensure public safety.
We, therefore, call upon the government and relevant stakeholders to come up with relevant solutions to alleviate the transport challenge.
They must consider engaging the private transporters and reach an amicable solution.
</blockquote>
ZUPCO Workers’ Council chairperson Douglas Serimani told NewsDay Weekender that workers want half of their wages in US dollars. Said Serimani:
<blockquote>
The employees have been requesting that they be given half of their salaries in United States dollars.
Salaries come late at ZUPCO and we had a works council meeting in Gweru on Wednesday, where employees implored the authorities to consider paying half of their salaries in US dollars and also ensure that they are paid on time.
The company also owes the employees six months of COVID-19 allowances which were not paid to them in 2020.
Management has, however, promised to address all those issues.
</blockquote>
ZUPCO chief executive Evaristo Mandangwa said the issue of employees’ salaries is an internal issue that has nothing to do with the public.
On Wednesday, Cabinet admitted that some private players who joined the ZUPCO franchise withdrew their services due to non-payment of their dues.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/05/pressure-mounts-over-transport-crisis/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Amnesty International Demands Govt Take Action On Transport Crisis

Amnesty International has condemned police brutality after a Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) supporter was hospitalised after he was assaulted by members of Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in Harare on 17 March.
Responding to the assault and torture of CCC member, Godfrey Karembera, better known as Madzibaba VeShanduko, Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, said:
<blockquote>
This brutal and vicious assault against Godfrey Karembera is meant to intimidate political opposition supporters in Zimbabwe ahead of the upcoming by-elections
This brutal and vicious assault against Godfrey Karembera is meant to intimidate political opposition supporters in Zimbabwe ahead of the upcoming by-elections.
This attack is a chilling reminder of the country’s history of unlawful use of force by police around elections.
It sends a message to supporters of the opposition that they will pay a price for aligning with the political party of their choice.
The police claim that Godfrey Karembera, known as Madzibaba Veshanduko, used abusive language against them or tried to deface the statue of Mbuya Nehanda holds no water.
Police are trained to enforce the law and not to break it themselves – they must use the proper process to deal with suspected criminals including bringing them to court for a fair trial.
The police in question must be investigated and those found responsible must be brought to justice.
</blockquote>
ZRP justified the assault of Karembera in a statement that he was “engaging in unsanctioned political activities in the Harare Central District”.
This comes after Vice President, Constantino Chiwenga, on 26 February this year, threatened the opposition CCC saying the ruling ZANU-PF party would “crush the party like lice”.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/03/zimbabwe-police-attack-on-opposition-supporter-raises-alarm/">Amnesty International</a></h4>

Amnesty International Condemns The Assault And Torture of 'Madzibaba Veshanduko'

South African private military company Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) has refuted allegations levelled against it by a recent report by Amnesty International of racial bias during the evacuation of 240 people from Palma during the recent attack on the Mozambican town.
The report by Amnesty International on 13 May 2021 claimed that an estimated 220 civilians sought refuge in the Amarula Palma Hotel in Palma, during an attack that started on 24 March, of which around 200 were Black nationals, and about 20 were white contractors. The report said:
<blockquote>In the days that followed, South African private military company Dyck Advisory Group (DAG) rescued some from the hotel.
While the white contractors were prioritized to be airlifted to safety, the Black nationals were left to fend for themselves.
After the majority of the white contractors and a few well-off Black nationals – among them the Administrator for Palma – were rescued, those left behind attempted to flee by ground convoy but were ambushed by ‘Al-Shabaab’.</blockquote>
However, in a statement on Thursday, DAG refuted the claims saying did not choose who would or would not be evacuated. The statement read:
<blockquote>Dyck Advisory Group is aware of and has reviewed, the latest allegations made against us on 13 May 2021, by Amnesty International, this time in displaying racial discrimination whilst undertaking the rescue of 240 people from Palma during the recent attack on the town.
Whilst the report on the previous allegations made against us by Amnesty International is ongoing, the facts of our rescue efforts during our operations in Palma are as follows:
<ul>
<li>We rescued 24 people from the Amarula Lodge on 25 March 2021 this consisted of 6 white persons and 18 black persons of differing nationalities.</li>
<li>The DAG team did not choose who would or would not be evacuated, they secured the landing site and loaded the people that were sent to them for evacuation by the lodge manager, this was done six people at a time, at no time did our staff enter the lodge whilst undertaking the evacuations.</li>
<li>DAG did not evacuate the Lodge Manager and his dogs; this was a private arrangement made with a commercial charter company.</li>
<li>As well as the people that we evacuated from Amarula lodge we also managed to evacuate all the people trapped in Wentworth Compound, Banotti Compound, Palma Village and the WBHO site.</li>
<li>As well as these main sites we also evacuated people from many other locations as they could be identified, or information was given to us of people trapped in the ongoing fighting.</li>
<li>Most of the people that we rescued over the 10-day period that we undertook operations in Palma, were Mozambican nationals, in fact of the 240 people that we got to safety at the Afungi Peninsula only 12 were white, and two of those were bodies that we recovered so that they could be returned to their families.</li>
</ul>
We stand committed to our Human Rights obligations as encapsulated in our company policies and are incredibly proud of our team and the efforts that they made during this attack to support and save as many of the civilians stuck in the middle of the fighting, this was done at great personal risk to themselves, this is one of, if not the largest helicopter rescue operation of civilians during an ongoing battle in modern times.
Dyck Advisory Group (DAG)</blockquote>

DAG Reacts To Allegations Of Racial Bias During Palma Rescue Operation

An international human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has claimed in its report 2020/2021 The State of the World’s Human Rights, that Zimbabwe killed at least 10 people during the COVID-19-induced lockdown.
The report cites human rights violations across the world. Reads the report in part:
<blockquote>The authorities used COVID-19 regulations to justify severe restrictions on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. They deployed security forces to abduct, assault and torture perceived critics, and opposition members and leaders. Police and security agents killed at least 10 people. Women were denied access to essential maternal health care, and violence against women and girls was widespread.</blockquote>
Download: <a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/AMNESTY-INTERNATIONAL-2020-2021-REPORT.pdf">AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL 2020/2021 The State of the World’s Human Rights</a>
More: <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

PDF: Amnesty International Accuse Zimbabwe Of Killing People During Lockdown

Amnesty International has released a report that claims that the government of Zimbabwe has killed at least ten (10) people during the COVID-19-induced lockdown.
The report, 2020-2021 The State of the World’s Human Rights, says the killed include Paul Munakopa from Bulawayo and Lavender Chiwaya who was an MDC Alliance councillor.
The human rights watchdog is also accusing President Emmerson Mnangagwa of unleashing state security forces to assault journalists, critics including opposition members and human rights defenders. Listen to the Studio7 Audio below for more.

<audio class="wp-audio-shortcode" controls="controls" id="audio-201537-1" preload="none" style="width: 100%;"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/INTERNATIONAL-TEAM.mp3?_=1" type="audio/mpeg"/><a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/INTERNATIONAL-TEAM.mp3">https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/INTERNATIONAL-TEAM.mp3</a></audio>

Amnesty International Accuses Zimbabwe Of Killing At Least 10 People During Lockdown

A number of human rights watchdogs including the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_Peace_Project">Zimbabwe Peace Project</a>, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, and Amnesty International have called for the safe return of missing journalist Itai Dzamara.
Itai Dzamara was allegedly abducted by suspected state security agents in 2015 after a series of anti-government protests in Harare. The international community and human rights organisations have since then pressuring the government to ensure the safe return of Itai Dzamara.
We present in full below the human rights groups’ joint statement to mark the 6th year since the disappearance of Itai Dzamara.
<blockquote>Today, 9 March 2021, marks the sixth anniversary of the disappearance of Itai Dzamara, a Zimbabwean journalist, civil society activist and leader of Occupy Africa Unity Square. On 9 March 2015, Rai Dzamara was abducted by five unidentified men from a barbershop in Harare’s Glenview suburb. The men reportedly handcuffed him before taking him away in a white pick-up truck with blurred registration number plates. Dzamara had previously been targeted by State security agents, assaulted and unlawfully detained in separate other incidences.
Following this enforced disappearance, Rai Dzamara’s family made a report at Glen Norah Police Station. Despite the police report and persistent widespread calls for investigations into the abduction, the Zimbabwe Republic Police has over the years remained reluctant and uninterested in diligently looking into the matter. Additionally, High Court Judge, Justice David Mangota, ordered the police to fully investigate the disappearance of Dzamara. However, no meaningful investigation has taken place, as evidenced by the absence of any comprehensive reports submitted by the authorities to the courts.
With the ushering in of the ‘new dispensation’ in 2017, cases of abductions reminiscent of the politically motivated abductions in 2008 where the Forum documented 511 abductions have been rescusitated. In 2019, the Forum documented 86 cases of abductions and torture of political activists, human rights defenders and perceived dissenting voices. In 2020, the Forum documented a further 34 cases of abductions and torture. Though authorities deny their participation in all the cases of abductions, including the case of Dzamara, the abduction and torture of Tawanda Muchehiwa on 30 July 2020 which was caught on CCTV bears resemblance to the abduction of Dzamara. In the same fashion, Muchehiwa was dragged into a white vehicle and disappeared for 2 days in which he emerged with gruelling tales of torture.
The ‘new dispensation’ prides itself on being reformists. However, the continued abductions and torture of citizens speak to a chilling intolerance to dissent and critique and a State bent on consolidating power at the expense of fundamental human rights of citizens. Despite the reformist agenda preached by the new dispensation, the Forum has realised an increase in organised violence and torture, attacks against democratic space, and attacks against free speech and freedom of expression. The ongoing weaponisation of the criminal justice system for political gain is another example of a government failing to implement its reformist agenda.
We call on the government to mobilise the full extent of its resources to investigate the circumstances surrounding Dzamara’s abduction and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. Dzamara’s family and the generality of Zimbabweans deserve answers on where he is, what happened on 9 March 2015 and who is responsible for his disappearance.
We remind the Government of Zimbabwe of its constitutional obligations to safeguard the right to life and personal liberty, the <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2018/09/28/usa-pressures-zimbabwe-to-change-laws-restricting-media-freedom-and-anti-government-protests/">right to participate in peaceful political activities,</a> the right to demonstrate and petition peacefully and the citizens’ right to express themselves freely and without repercussion. We call on the government to show its commitment to protecting the constitutionally-guaranteed human rights of all Zimbabweans, regardless of political beliefs or affiliation.
*We also recommend that:* 
• The government takes all necessary measures to guarantee the safe return of Itai Dzamara; 
• The government guarantees in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and tree of all restrictions. 
• The government ratifies, domesticates and fully implements provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Protection of all Persons from Enforced Disappearances and the United Nations Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol. 
//ENDS//
<img decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwC7JBZXIAQvBfn?format=jpg&amp;name=large"/><img decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EwC7K1eWYAUGFww?format=jpg&amp;name=large"/></blockquote>

Human Rights Watchdogs Call For Dzamara's Safe Return

The ruling ZANU PF party has rejected calls by Amnesty International for Zimbabwe to put to an end the selective application of the law and release from prison MDC Alliance national spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, the party’s national vice-chairperson Job Sikhala and journalist Hopewell Chin’ono.
Responding to an article published by the Newsday newspaper on 18 January 2021 on page 2 titled “RELEASE CHIN’ONO, MAHERE, SIKHALA ED TOLD’, ZANU PF national spokesperson Simon Khaya described Amnesty International’s demands as unwarranted and illegal. Moyo said in a statement:
<blockquote>… the revolutionary ZANU PF Party, wishes to put it on record that the governance of the country is premised on the rule of law.
This implies the separation of powers as evidenced by the existence of the Executive, the Judiciary and the Legislature.
Zimbabwe is indeed a Constitutional democracy and not a banana Republic.</blockquote>
Moyo further said to expect President Emmerson Mnangagwa to interfere with law enforcement agencies and the Judiciary is an absurdity in the extreme.
He said it is ironic that the same organisations will cry foul if President Mnangagwa interferes with the operations of the courts. Moyo added:
<blockquote>… the revolutionary ZANU PF Party takes great exception to the demands by Amnesty International and its acolytes for His Excellency the President Cde E.D. Mnangagwa to release Hopewell Chin’ono, Fadzayi Mahere and Job Sikhala from lawful custody.
All citizens who are suspected to have committed crimes in Zimbabwe are subjected to due processes of the law irrespective of one’s political affiliation and station in life.
No one is above the law and the Constitution should be respected by all citizens.</blockquote>

ZANU PF Scoffs At Amnesty International's 'Unwarranted & Illegal' Demands

Amnesty International has castigated the Zimbabwean government’s response to demonstrators in Harare on Friday.
Police officers charged at defenceless citizens using tear smoke and batons, leaving scores injured in a brutal clampdown reminiscent of incidents in January.
As a result of police brutality, Harare’s CBD resembled a ghost town by late afternoon as members of the public were forced off the streets.
Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa, said in a statement:
<blockquote>The scenes in Harare today demonstrate just how far the authorities will go to repress dissent. Baton-wielding police unleashed a brutal assault on protesters, who had gathered to protest the socio-economic conditions which are causing suffering to so many in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwean authorities should know that the world is watching. The authorities must end the escalating crackdown on dissent and respect, protect, and fulfil the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.
There must be full accountability for these attacks, which left scores of people injured and shows the government’s contempt for human rights.
We are calling on the authorities to launch a prompt, impartial and effective investigation into today’s attacks.
They must also allow opposition protests to go ahead, and stop using violence as a tool of harassment and intimidation and to silence critical voices.
The repression of peaceful dissent will not solve the economic problems which brought protestors to the streets in the first place.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2019/08/zimbabwe-police-must-be-held-accountable-for-appalling-assault-on-protesters/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amnesty International</a></h4>

Violence Against Citizens Will Not Solve Zim's Economic Problems - Amnesty International

Amnesty International has spoken against the violent crackdown on human rights activists by unknown gunmen in recent days in and around Harare.
Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda said:
<blockquote>We are witnessing a violent crackdown on activists and civil society leaders, with authorities using some of the brutal tactics seen under the government of Robert Mugabe.
The authorities have used torture and abduction to crush dissent and instil fear.
The authorities must launch a prompt, thorough, impartial and effective investigation into the abduction and torture of the two activists and ensure that suspected perpetrators are brought to justice in fair trials.
As people prepare to protest for their socio-economic rights over the next few days, authorities must exercise restraint against protesters and respect, protect and promote both freedom of expression and freedom of peaceful assembly of everyone. Organising and participating in protests is not a crime.</blockquote>
The brutal crackdown follows plans by the opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change’s (MDC) plans to launch demonstrations across the country’s major cities, starting on 16 August.
The demonstrations are meant to force the ZANU PPF government to come to the table for dialogue over the deplorable economic situation in the country.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/zimbabwe-violence-crackdown-activists-ahead-opposition-protests" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Amnesty.org</a></h4>

Amnesty International Calls For An End To Abductions & Torture Of Activists

Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, Muleya Mwananyanda has urged that the Zimbabwean government should bring to account security forces implicated in the August 1, 2018, fatal shooting of protestors in Harare.
Mwananyanda said that for Zimbabwe to be considered a country which respects human rights, it should ensure that no one is untouchable for violating human rights. She said:
<blockquote>The tragedy of the post-election shootings is compounded by the fact that no one in the army suspected to be responsible for the bloodshed has been held to account for these brutal killings.
This is despite the fact that the alleged perpetrators have been identified through the media and social media videos and pictures.
If the Zimbabwean government wants to demonstrate that it is committed to human rights, it needs to ensure that the wheels of justice start turning faster than they have done over the past year.
… Authorities must institute a thorough, effective and impartial investigation into the killings of protesters, some of whom were killed while fleeing, with those found to have acted unlawfully brought to justice through fair trials.
Zimbabwean authorities should under no circumstances allow further impunity and cover-ups for the killings. If Zimbabwe is to become a human rights-respecting society, no one, including the army, should be untouchable for violating human rights.</blockquote>
Soldiers opened fire on August 1 in 2018 to quell post-electoral protests. Suspected opposition supporters picketed in Harare called for the release of presidential results. The subsequent military intervention resulted in six deaths, with some of the fleeing civilians shot in the back.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.263chat.com/zimbabwe-one-year-on-no-justice-for-those-killed-by-soldiers-in-post-election-demonstrations/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">263Chat.com</a></h4>

Amnesty International Calls For Accountability Over August 1 Shootings

Earlier today, 263Chat reported that Amnesty international Zimbabwe had been suspended amid allegations of fraud. ZimEye later reiterated the report and posted an article purported to be by the International Board of Amnesty International. Read the full text below:
<blockquote> 
The International Board of Amnesty International has taken the unprecedented step of suspending Amnesty International Zimbabwe (AIZ) from the global movement and placing it under administration following evidence of fraud and serious financial misconduct.
An extensive forensic audit was conducted in late 2018 which uncovered evidence of fraud and serious financial mismanagement by individuals in AIZ. National law enforcement agencies were notified of the findings earlier this year and the organization also commenced the legal process of civil recovery in order to recoup lost funds.
Amnesty International’s International Board can give an assurance that, since the allegations first came to light, urgent financial risk management measures have been put in place to ensure anti-fraud and corruption procedures have been adhered to and that donor funds are safe.
However, the decision has been made to take extraordinary measures on AIZ to protect the reputation, integrity and operation of the movement. It is with regret that it is now clear that AIZ has not been able to take the necessary steps in its duty of good governance.
Amnesty International is committed to working hand in glove with the appropriate authorities and is providing full assistance to all current investigations to ensure that any individual found to have been involved in misconduct is held to account.
We are unable to comment or provide further details until all investigations have been completed.
Please note: We will NOT be fielding spokespeople for interviews. For any further clarification please contact Robert Shivambu, Media Manager, Amnesty International Southern Africa, on +27 83 437 5732 or robert.shivambu@amnesty.org
<div></div>
Robert Shivambu 
Media Manager – Southern Africa 
Amnesty International 
T: +27 (0) 11 283 6000 ext 276023 
M: +27 (0) 83 437 5732</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.zimeye.net/2019/05/30/full-text-amnesty-international-zimbabwe-suspended-amid-fraud-allegations/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ZimEye</a> &amp; <a href="https://www.263chat.com/amp/just-in-amnesty-international-zimbabwe-suspended-amid-fraud-allegations/?__twitter_impression=true" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">263Chat</a>

Amnesty International Latest News

Latest Jobs