INTERNATIONAL pressure continues to pile on President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to respect human rights, with the United States embassy in Harare also raising concern over the matter yesterday.
“Zimbabweans’ rights to freedom of expression, speech and association remain enshrined in their
Constitution. Citizens exercising their civil rights, such as Godfrey Kurauone, Hopewell Chin’ono, Jacob Ngarivhume, should have those rights respected,” the US embassy tweeted.
Several civic, Christian and human rights organisations also slammed the State for using hate speech against perceived enemies, among them Catholic priests who recently called government to order.
The government described the Catholic bishops as “genocidal and evil-minded” for calling it out on its increasing human rights violations.
Several human rights and political activists, journalists and opposition political supporters are languishing in remand prison, while others have been arrested, charged and released for alleged subversion.
Over 60 opposition members were abducted and tortured in the run-up to the July 31 protests, while more than 30 are in hiding.
Investigative journalist Chin’ono, who unmasked corruption involving US$60 million after senior government officials issued a tender to Drax International without due process, and opposition leader Ngarivhume are also languishing in prison after being denied bail for allegedly organising the anti-corruption protests.
Kurauone, an MDC Alliance activist and Masvingo councillor, was arrested after reporting to the police on July 31 as part of his bail conditions.
Several local, regional and international organisations and governments have condemned the gross human rights violations in Zimbabwe.
But government has denied that there is a human rights crisis in the country despite evidence of torture, abductions and arrests of innocent citizens who are viewed as enemies of the State.
The Zimbabwe Catholic Bishops Conference (ZCBC) — whose pastoral letter called out the government over the deteriorating human rights situation, was seen as a ploy to “sow seeds of internecine strife as a prelude to civil war and national disintegration” by Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa — has gained support from international, regional and local organisations.
The various organisations, in solidarity messages to the bishops, said Mnangagwa’s government must address the human rights issues and acknowledge that there is a crisis in the country which needs to be solved.
