1,500 people affected by rights violations in December – Newsday Zimbabwe

In the Zimbabwe Peace Project’s (ZPP) monthly monitoring report, violations included unfair distribution of food aid and agricultural resources, threats of violence, assault, restrictions on freedom of assembly and association, inhumane treatment, restrictions on freedom of expression and illegal evictions.

At least 1,460 people were victims of human rights violations in December, with 95 cases reported, down from 141 incidents reported the previous month.

According to the report, other violations documented included looting and embezzlement of public resources, restrictions on access to social services, and unjustified arrests.

“The violations affected 1,460 victims, of whom 646 were men and 814 were women,” the report said.

It added that harassment and intimidation, assaults and violations of the right to equality and non-discrimination were consistently among the top violations reported during the year.

“In particular, torture and illegal detention increased in August 2024 due to government crackdowns on human rights defenders and political activists in the run-up to the Southern African Development Community Summit.

“There have also been seasonal trends where violations of freedom of assembly and association, as well as freedom of expression, have increased during periods of high political tension.

“ZPP’s findings highlight the widespread nature of human rights violations in Zimbabwe, with certain violations occurring consistently throughout the year.

“The correlation between political events and the spate of violations suggests a deliberate attempt to suppress dissent and opposition.”

ZPP called on the government to strengthen institutions, promote transparency and accountability.

“To solve these problems, it is important to strengthen institutions, promote transparency and accountability, and support civil society organizations and human rights defenders,” the project says.

The ZPP said international institutions, including regional bodies such as Sadc and the African Union, should play a more active role in promoting human rights and bringing perpetrators to justice.

“To mitigate human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and promote accountability, it is important to address the root causes of these abuses, which include political intimidation, corruption and impunity,” the peacekeeping organization said.

He called on the Zimbabwean government to ensure that all perpetrators, regardless of their political affiliation or social status, are held accountable for their actions.

The peace monitor said this could be achieved by strengthening institutions such as the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission and making them fully accessible for Zimbabwean communities to file complaints, enabling effective investigation and prosecution of human rights abusers.

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