Johannesburg, 25 January 2013: Global civil society network, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, the Zimbabwe based National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) and the Zimbabwe Solidarity Forum (ZSF) strongly condemn persecution of civil society members in Zimbabwe, urging democratic governments to take diplomatic action.
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (Zim Rights) is the latest target of the government's ongoing campaign against human rights defenders. The Director of Zim Rights, Okay Machisa, Education and Programmes Officer, Leo Chamahwinya, and Dorcas Shereni, Chair of the Highfield Chapter of Zim Rights are currently being held in detention on nebulous charges of conspiring to conduct illegal voter registration, fraud and communicating false information considered prejudicial to the Zimbabwean state. Their arrest and judicial harassment puts in severe jeopardy the work of Zim Rights, in particular, the monitoring of election procedures, voter registration and education in advance of crucial national elections to be held later this year.
Targeting of Zim Rights staff is indicative of the deteriorating environment for civil society groups to operate in the country. With impending elections and a critical referendum on constitutional reform looming, the government headed by President Mugabe has intensified its campaign against human rights defenders seeking to ensure a climate conducive to free and fair elections taking place in the country.
Prior to the arrest of Zim Rights staff in the months of December 2012 and January 2013, the offices of Counseling Services Unit (CSU), an organisation providing medical and psychological assistance to victims of torture and political violence were raided in November 2012 and three staff members were arbitrarily arrested. Additionally, during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence protests in November, peaceful activists from Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) were brutally assaulted and subjected to tribal insults by police officers in Bulawayo. In August 2012, police officers raided the offices of the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) twice, assaulting staff members the first time and confiscating computers and advocacy materials the second time.
CIVICUS, NANGO and ZSF call on democratic governments, particularly in the Southern African region to (i) unequivocally condemn the latest round of suppression of civil society and democratic freedoms in Zimbabwe, and (ii) carry out necessary diplomatic actions to ensure that the Government of Zimbabwe abides by its commitments under international human rights law.
