THE Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) has called on Zimbabwean police to investigate reports of abductions on rights and MDC activists by alleged State agents.
The State rights watchdog said this in a Thursday statement ahead of an MDC protest march in central Harare this Friday.
The planned demonstration by the country’s main opposition has seen alleged abductions and the torture of some government critics by suspected State agents.
Government spokespersons deny any State involvement in the widely condemned acts.
In the wake of the alleged developments, the country’s constitutionally mandated rights organisation, has urged law enforcement agents to get to the bottom of the alleged incidents in the interest of citizen rights and the rule of law for a country that has seen the worst forms of State brutality against citizens.
“The Commission calls on the Zimbabwe Police Service to investigate allegations of the abduction and assault of human rights defenders and opposition political leaders that seem to be linked to the planned demonstrations,” said the rights body.
“Any cases of enforced disappearances and lawlessness should be condemned in the strongest of terms and the perpetrators should be made accountable through prosecution.”
The MDC is set to hold a massive protest against rising poverty levels in the country, coupled with a demand for President Emmerson Mnangagwa to allow a “genuine” political dialogue widely believed could yank the country from its deepening economic abyss.
In its statement, the Commission said it shall deploy monitors to observe how the police conduct themselves during the much anticipated protest.
“As usual, the ZHRC will deploy its teams of monitors to assess the situation on the ground with a view to contributing to the development of human rights, democracy, rule of law, good governance and peace, and stability in Zimbabwe,” said the rights body.
Past ZHRC reports on the rights situation in the country have been damning of the State.
