As Zimbabwe prepares for its general election next month, a UN special rapporteur has voiced concern about the human rights situation in the country. The situation has been declining, with many human rights activists being charged with criminal offenses and others being jailed. The UN rapporteur, Mary Lawlor, expressed her concern that human rights defenders should not be treated as criminals for their peaceful work advocating human rights, association and freedom of expression. She called on the Zimbabwean government to release those who have been jailed and drop the charges against them.
Following the call, Obert Masaraure, head of the Amalgamated Rural Teacher’s Union, said the charges he and others face violate their freedom of expression and petitioning duty bearers. Masaraure said that persecution and violation of his basic rights are unacceptable, and called for an end to it. He also called on Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa to respect the fundamental rights of citizens as defined in the constitution.
The UN rapporteur also wants the elections to be peaceful, with transparency throughout the process. The call for a peaceful, free, and fair election process aligns with Facebook policies on election security. Zimbabwe is still recovering from past elections marked by violence and accusations of a lack of transparency.
Reacting to VOA News, Nick Mangwana, secretary of Zimbabwe’s information ministry, said that “As government, we don’t interfere with the criminal justice system.” Nevertheless, it is vital that the Zimbabwean Government should ensure that the human rights of its people are respected, especially as the country prepares for the upcoming polls.
