TO THE AFRICAN UNION On 5 February, Amnesty International wrote to the Chairperson of the Executive Council of the AU calling on the AU to:  Ensure that the dire human rights crisis in Zimbabwe is included as an agenda item for the 34th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council of the African Union;  Condemn the ongoing widespread human rights violations and abuses, including arbitrary restrictions on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression; threats to and attacks against human rights defenders; the arbitrary denial of bail and other fair trial rights; and the possible use of rape and sexual violence as an instrument of repression;  Urge the government of Zimbabwe to put an end to these patterns of serious human rights violations and abuses, abide by its domestic, regional and international human rights obligations, and bring to justice members of the security forces reasonably suspected of committing crimes;  Propose to the 32nd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union, the adoption of a decision requesting the AU Peace and Security Council to deploy a fact-finding mission to assess the human rights situation in Zimbabwe with a view to proposing recommendations on how to effectively address and end the human rights crisis. TO THE ZIMBABWEAN GOVERNMENT The Zimbabwean authorities must bring the laws and practice in line with the 2013 Constitution as well as the country’s international and regional human rights obligations. They should demonstrate full respect for the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and fair trials, for all in Zimbabwe, and without discrimination against political opponents, human rights defenders and activists, civil society leaders, journalists and other people with differing views perceived to be critical of the authorities. Soldiers must not be deployed to manage public assemblies or in any ordinary law enforcement operations. In addition to the above the government must:  Undertake a prompt, thorough, impartial and independent investigation into allegations of human rights violations and abuses including rape and other sexual abuse of women by security forces. Anyone suspected to be responsible should be brought to justice in fair trials;  Take urgent measures to ensure women and other victims of sexual violence and other forms of abuses are provided with safe and effective mechanisms to report their complaints to authorities;  Ensure access to justice and the right to an effective remedy including access to psycho-social and trauma counselling, adequate compensation, reparations and guarantee of non-repetition to victims and their families. ‘OPEN FOR BUSINESS, CLOSED FOR DISSENT’ CRACKDOWN IN ZIMBABWE DURING THE NATIONAL STAY-AWAY, 14-16 JANUARY 2019 Amnesty International 23