In a statement presented to the 47th session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights, Zimbabwe NGO Human Rights Forum representative, Blessing Gorejena-Chinawa depicted the general human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

She informed the commission that whilst the Global Political Agreement (GPA) expresses noble intentions to promote human rights, there continues to be harassment, intimidation and victimisation of human rights defenders in the course of their legitimate work.

The Global Political Agreement in its preamble states the determination by the principals ‘to act in a manner that demonstrates respect for the democratic values of justice, fairness, openness, tolerance, equality, respect of all the persons and human rights.’

Gorejena-Chinawa cited the recent arrest of ZimRights Director, Okay Machisa for organising a photographic exhibition of the 2008 election violence, the arrest and detention of visual artist Owen Maseko for staging a gallery exhibition depicting Gukurahundi atrocities which took place during the 1980’s and the victimisation of the General Agriculture Plantations Workers Union of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ) director,  Gertude Hambira for producing a documentary and report on the violence that surrounded the land reform process.

Zimbabwe NGO Human Rights Forum stated also the continued violations of the right to freedom of expression noting that ‘Access to information and freedom of expression and assembly, remain heavily restricted, with the state controlled media still chanting hate speech.’

The forum further stated the government’s lack of political will and capacity to enact meaningful changes to human rights situation in Zimbabwe; citing the government’s failure to investigate the alleged human rights violations carried out by state security agents in the run up to the June 2008 run-off election as an indicator.

In response to concerns over the issue of past election violence, Zimbabwean government representative, David Mangota dismissed the issues stating that they had been discussed before the commission and it would be an abuse of the commission’s time to discuss them again.

The forum called upon the Commission to urge the government of Zimbabwe to;

·        Take steps to ensure the protection of human rights as enshrined in the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights in Zimbabwe

·        Investigate past human rights violations in Zimbabwe

·        End the continued harassment of Human Rights Defenders. //End//

Reagan Malumo
Programme Specialist: Media Freedom Monitoring and Research
Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Regional Secretariat
21 Johann Albrecht St
Private Bag 13386
Windhoek
Namibia
Phone: +264 61 232 975
Fax: +264 61 248 016
Mobile: +264 81 311 2626

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