7.3.3 Global 37 Attending events on the margins of the 28th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council 99 On 11 March 2015, ZLHR participated in a high-level panel discussion that was organised by International Service for Human Rights, Article 19, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Human Rights House Foundation, the International Commission of Jurists and the World Organisation Against Torture. This panel discussion was moderated by ISHR Director, and addressed by Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. It focused on National security: Counter-terrorism laws must not criminalise Human Rights Defenders. ZLHR presented on the national security laws applied to justify violations of right to privacy, freedom of expression, association and assembly. This panel created an opportunity to raise awareness on the situation of HRDs in Zimbabwe and to learn from experiences of other HRDs who are also operating in restrictive environments. Roselyn Hanzi delivers a statement during the 56th session of the ACHPR ZLHR Annual Report 2015 ZLHR’s Executive Director, Project Manager and Project Lawyer attended the 28th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva from 9 to 13 March 2015. ZLHR attended a total of 9 meetings with representatives of special mechanisms. The focus of ZLHR’s interventions during the meetings was highlighting the human rights situation in Zimbabwe, according to the thematic focus areas of the mandate holders. Some of the issues discussed focused on violations of right to housing, the lack of progress in alignment of laws that affect the fair trial rights of HRDs, and the lack of progress in setting up the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and general attacks on HRDs. A special follow up was also made on the case of Itai Dzamara that had occurred on 9 March, the day on which ZLHR started its strategic activities at the UN HRC. ZLHR had filed a number of urgent appeals seeking intervention from the UN special mechanisms.