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The Centre for Human Rights, Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria, cordially invites you to a webinar organised by the Democracy and Civic Engagement Unit on the current situation in Zimbabwe. The webinar will discuss the continuing deterioration of human rights in Zimbabwe, and provide an opportunity  to stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe during these challenging times.

Webinar

Tuesday 18 August 2020
Webinar (Zoom)
09:00 GMT  /  10:00 WAT  /  11:00 SAST  /  12:00 EAT 


Theme: #FreeZimbabwe: Continuing deterioration of human rights in Zimbabwe

Moderator: Ms Ruvimbo Samanga
Policy Analyst for Space in Africa; Research Fellow for Open Lunar Foundation; and Alumna, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria

Panellists:

  • Ms Roselyn Hanzi
    Executive Director, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights
  • Ms Ruwadzano Patience Makumbe
    Hillary Rodham Clinton Global Challenges Scholar; Asia Justice Coalition Fellow (Advocacy, Campaigns and Communications)
  • Ms Gladys Kudzaishe Hlatywayo
    Secretary for International Relations, Movement for Democratic Change - Alliance (MDC-Alliance)
  • Mr Brian Kagoro
    Pan-Africanist and Lawyer
  • Mr Tafadzwa Mugwadi
    Director of Information and Publicity, Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF)

Background

Zimbabwe is experiencing a continuation of systemic human rights violations and in recent weeks, the body politic of Zimbabwe is experiencing an exponential deterioration of human rights. Shockingly, the people and institutions with a responsibility of protecting human rights in Zimbabwe have instead waged war against their citizens. “We will defeat the attack and stop the bleeding of our economy. We will overcome attempts at the destabilisation of our society by a few rogue Zimbabweans acting in league with foreign detractors” said President Emmerson Mnangagwa as he was addressing the nation a few days ago. This state of affairs is disturbing as far as the democratic space in the country is concerned and needs to be closely monitored by the international community. Zimbabwe is experiencing a continuation of systemic human rights violations and in recent weeks, the body politic of Zimbabwe is experiencing an exponential deterioration of human rights. Shockingly, the people and institutions with a responsibility of protecting human rights in Zimbabwe have instead waged war against their citizens. “We will defeat the attack and stop the bleeding of our economy. We will overcome attempts at the destabilisation of our society by a few rogue Zimbabweans acting in league with foreign detractors” said President Emmerson Mnangagwa as he was addressing the nation a few days ago. This state of affairs is disturbing as far as the democratic space in the country is concerned and needs to be closely monitored by the international community. 

In recent days, we have seen a steady increase of arbitrary arrests of journalists and social activists who tried to expose the corruption of the government. On 21 July 2020, two fierce critics of the government, Hopewell Chin’ono (an award winning journalist) and Jacob Mgarivhume (a leader for Transform Zimbabwe), were arrested. They were charged with incitement to participate in a gathering with intent to promote public violence and breaches of peace or bigotry (section 187 (1) (a) as read with section 37 (1) (a) (i) of the Criminal Law [Codification and Reform] Act Chapter 9:23. An alternative charge of incitement to commit public violence was also levelled against them. To date, they are still in detention as they were denied bail.

The Zimbabwean government is also cracking down on the right to peaceful protest and assembly. Just a couple of weeks ago Zimbabweans had planned to protest on 31 July 2020. Human rights activists organised and called for people to protest across the country against corruption in the government and economic hardship. The protests did not go ahead as planned as the government deployed security forces to stop the planned protest. Armed soldiers and anti-riot police patrolled the city of Harare and Bulawayo forcing people to disperse. Although the protests did not go ahead as planned, certain individuals held low-key protests in very small numbers while observing COVID-19 regulations. Consequently, more than 60 people in Zimbabwe were arrested for protesting peacefully against corruption in the government and some activists were arrested before the scheduled protests. Among those arrested were award winning Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga and MDC Alliance spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere. The peaceful protesters were being charged with incitement to commit public violence.

Deterioration of human rights in Zimbabwe escalated with President Emerson Mnangagwa who called the peaceful protesters as insurgence. The president was recorded to have said that “The bad apples that have attempted to divide our people and to weaken our systems will be flushed out”. To discuss this, a webinar will be held on the continuing deterioration of human rights in Zimbabwe, and provide an opportunity  to stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe during these challenging times.


For more information, please contact:

Ms Bonolo Makgale
Programme Manager: Democracy and Civic Engagement Unit

  +27 (0) 12 420 4199
  +27 (0) 86 580 5743
 bonolo.makgale@up.ac.za

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