Human rights watchdogs blame SADC for silence amid onslaught on dissent in Zimbabwe

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ZIMBABWEAN government has been urged to stop arbitrary arrests of opponents ahead of the SADC Heads of State Summit expected in a week’s time.

The situation is reportedly tense in high density suburbs of Harare where armed security forces have been deployed amid threats of violence to disrupt the SADC event.

In a joint press release by Amnesty International (AI) and Human Rights Watch (HRW) this Friday, the two organisations reported that more than 160 people were nabbed since mid-June to date in Harare alone with evidence of torture or other ill-treatment to those affected.

“Zimbabwean authorities must end their crackdown against opposition and civil society members ahead of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit scheduled for August 17, 2024 in Harare.

“The authorities must immediately and unconditionally release everyone arrested for exercising their rights.

“Authorities must also promptly and effectively investigate allegations of torture or other ill-treatment of detainees and hold any suspected perpetrators accountable in fair proceedings,” noted the watchdogs.

Further, the groups said SADC must urgently demand an end to this assault on human rights as it prepares to hand the bloc’s leadership to Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

“Since mid-June, Zimbabwean authorities have conducted a massive crackdown on dissent where more than 160 people have been arrested so far including elected officials, opposition members, union leaders, students and journalists,” Al’s deputy regional director for East and Southern Africa, Khanyo Farise, said.

“Security forces have tear-gassed people in a private residence, beaten people so badly they needed hospitalisation, forcibly disappeared people for hours and tortured people in custody.

“The authorities must stop committing such violations and immediately release all detainees.”

He said SADC leaders must condemn the Zimbabwe government’s human rights violations and demand that the authorities’ reverse course by releasing everyone unjustly arrested before the situation worsens further.

The human rights defenders called upon Angolan leader João Lourenço, the outgoing SADC chairperson, and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema, SADC Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation Organ chairperson to speak out.

“The serious violations we are witnessing, including violent attacks, abductions, torture, arbitrary arrests and other abuses against the opposition, government critics and activists are just the latest example of the failure of President Mnangagwa’s government to promote, protect and respect basic human rights.

“SADC has said nothing publicly about these human rights violations,” said Idriss Ali Nassah, senior Africa researcher at HRW.

“The Zimbabwe authorities’ intensified crackdown and the dismantling of fundamental freedoms is directly linked to the government’s hosting of the SADC summit in Harare.

“It sets a dangerous tone for the bloc’s commitment to human rights under the upcoming chairmanship of Zimbabwe President Mnangagwa,” Nassah said.