The Commission Newsletter
ADDRESS: 144 Samora Machel Avenue, HARARE
TELEPHONE: +263 4 293 4102-3 / 705 426 / 705 268 / 251 079 / 701 811 / 703 616 / 251 077 / 703 596
ADDRESS: 127A Fife Street, between 13th & 14 Avenue, BULAWAYO
TELEPHONE: +263 9 64170-73
WEBSITE: www.zhrc.org.zw
DATE: 31 August 2016
ISSUE NO. 1
E-MAIL ADDRESS: info@zhrc.org.zw
ZHRC speaks to human rights victims
Z
Chairperson Elasto Hilarious Mugwadi
imba bw e
Human
Rights
Commission
(ZHRC)
is
mandated by the
Constitution to
promote, protect
and enforce human
rights in Zimbabwe.
ZHRC is one of the
five Independent
Commissions
S u p p o r t i n g
Democracy
in
Z i m b a b w e ,
established under
Chapter 12 of the
Constitution
of
Zimbabwe. The other
Independent
Commissions are
Zimbabwe Electoral
Commission,
Zimbabwe Gender
Commission,
Zimbabwe Media
Commission as well
as the National Peace
and Reconciliation
Commission.
In order to carry out
this mandate, ZHRC
established three
departments, one of
which is Complaints
Handling
and
Investigations under
which complaints are
received
and
actioned.
In 2015, ZHRC
handled a total of 482
complaints. From
January to July 2016,
the Commission has
dealt with 313
complaints.
ZHRC takes note of
allegations of police
brutality on peaceful
protesters in Harare
and
Bulawayo
following the mass
job stay-away on 13
July 2016 and other
protests thereafter.
During the protests,
the police anti-riot
squad is accused of
i nd i s cr i min a t el y
beating up people,
some of whom
would be in their
homes.
ZHRC urges human
rights abuse victims
to approach its
offices for redress
and not to suffer in
silence. On the other
hand,
the
Commission exhorts
demonstrators to
strictly adhere to
and abide by their
constitutional right
of demonstrating
peacefully without
violence
or
provocation.
To Page 6
VISION
A Zimbabwean society where human rights and administrative justice are
fully enjoyed by everyone.
MISSION
To be an effective, fearless, and independent national champion for the
advancement of human rights, that is committed to the protection, promotion
and enforcement of human rights and administrative justice in accordance
with the Constitution of Zimbabwe and International Human Rights
Standards.
CORE VALUES
Fearlessness . Accessibility . Independence . Responsiveness
Professionalism . Integrity
Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission’s Official Newsletter