61 displacements, 81 assaults consistent with gunshot attacks, at least 586 assaults and
torture, inhuman and degrading treatment including dog bites, 954 arrests and
detention (including dragnet arrests), among other violations.
The violations are systematic, unleashed mainly by male perpetrators whom the
victims identified as wearing either military or police attire, armed with AK rifles and
or baton sticks, travelling in army and police vehicles. The targets of attack were
initially male population in high density suburbs but later become indiscriminate to
include women and young girls. Recently credible reports of sexual assault, including
rape have emerged. 16 cases of rape and 1 case of sexual assault were documented.
There could be more. Cases of abductions and displacements are mainly targeted at
civil society leaders and opposition party activists in both urban and rural areas. The
attacks by the state media has since widened to include the Law Society of Zimbabwe
(LSZ) and the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC). The LSZ has reported
on what appears to be cases of systematic violation of the right to fair trial which seem
to be taking place in the Magistrates Courts across the country whereas the ZHRC has
raised concern on the human rights violations that ensued during and after the
#shutdown.
The Forum has started the process of pursuing justice and accountability for the
victims. At least 24 letters of demand have been issued claiming about USD1,200
000.00 million from the perpetrators. This report updates the Forum report of the 18th
of January 2019 and summarises violations received between 14 January 2019 to 31
January and the interventions of members of the Forum. Key to the compilation of
this report is the work done by the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), the Counselling Services Unit and the Zimbabwe
Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) in coordinating emergency
response and assisting victims in the line of fire.
a disproportionate use of force to any threat posed, see Principles on the Effective Prevention and
Investigation of Extra-legal, Arbitrary and Summary Executions, Recommended by Economic and Social Council
resolution 1989/65 of 24 May 1989 1,
https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/ProfessionalInterest/executions.pdf, Principle 1.
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