4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS Since coming into power, President Emmerson Mnangagwa has consistently preached the message that Zimbabwe “is open for business” in his bid to arrest further economic decline in the country. Presidential Spokesperson George Charamba said "the whole idea is to put Zimbabwe firmly on the map so we leave behind us the dark days when we were perceived as a pariah state…"103 However, with the ongoing human rights crisis, which comes barely five months after the killing of at least six people on 1 August 2018 by the military, it is clear that while the President repeatedly preaches that Zimbabwe is open for business, the country is ‘closed’ for human rights - particularly the rights to freedom of association, peaceful assembly and expression. Amnesty International is calling on Zimbabwean authorities to immediately end the clampdown on human rights and attacks on peaceful protestors, NGOs, human rights defenders and activists and opposition supporters. The authorities should respect, protect, promote and fulfil all human rights, consistent with the Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations. All the victims of excessive use of force must have access to justice and an effective remedy including adequate compensation and guarantees of non-repetition. Suspected perpetrators must be brought to justice. The rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of association and expression have been suppressed in Zimbabwe over the years. The human rights situation has sharply deteriorated since 1 August 2018, and continues on the same downward trajectory since January 2019. Zimbabwean authorities apparently continue to utilize a raft of old repressive legislations, including the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act,104 to clampdown on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression. Authorities have used the interception of communications act to suppress internet freedoms, through officially sanctioned blackouts, to prevent people from sharing information. Journalists, human rights defenders and activists and independent media who disseminate information during times of protests, often do so at their own risk and in some cases face severe reprisals, including arrests, heavy fines and physical violence. “ MDC will be held Accountable” – George Charamba in the Sunday Mail 20, January, 2019: https://www.sundaymail.co.zw/mdc-andallies-will-be-held-accountable 104 Public Order and Security Act, Cap 11:17, 2002 and the Access to Information and Privacy Act, Cap 10:27, 2002 103 ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS, CLOSED FOR DISSENT’ CRACKDOWN IN ZIMBABWE DURING THE NATIONAL STAY-AWAY, 14-16 JANUARY 2019 Amnesty International 22