2
Zimbabwe: An assessment of human rights violations in the run-up to the 31 March
2005 parliamentary elections
also contain provisions which restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association,
assembly and information.3
•
Zimbabwe’s crisis over the rule of law, triggered by repeated flouting of court orders,
harassment of judicial officers and politicization of the police service, remains
unresolved. A culture of impunity persists as thousands of victims of human rights
violations have been deprived of the protection of the law and denied access to an
effective remedy.
Zimbabwe is State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),
the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the
African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Zimbabwe has also endorsed the
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections, which include commitments to ensuring the full participation of
citizens in the political process; freedom of association; political tolerance; equal opportunity
to exercise the right to vote and be voted for; and the independence of the judiciary.4
2. Human rights violations in the run-up to the
parliamentary elections
Violations of the rights to freedom of expression, association and
assembly in the context of election campaigning
The rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly have been systematically
violated in Zimbabwe over the past five years, both through the use of repressive legislation
and the actions of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). Amnesty International believes that
the clampdown on freedom of expression, association and assembly forms a key part of
government strategy to silence those who are critical of the government and the human rights
abuses taking place in Zimbabwe.
Amnesty International believes that the police are using the repressive Public Order and
Security Act (POSA) and arbitrary arrests to hinder opposition campaigning activities in the
run-up to the 31 March parliamentary elections. In the six week period between the end of
3
For a human rights critique of the proposed NGO Act see, amongst others: Amnesty International,
“NGO Act is a gross violation of human rights”, 10 December 2004, AI Index: AFR 46/039/2004;
International Bar Association, “Analysis of the Zimbabwe Non-governmental Organizations Bill,
2004”, 24 August 2004; Human Rights Watch, “Proposed law on NGOs would violate basic rights”, 4
September 2004; Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, “Zim NGO Bill: Dangerous for human rights
defenders”, July 2004; Parliament of Zimbabwe, “Parliamentary Legal Committee adverse report on
the NGO Bill [H.B. 13, 2004]”, 9 November 2004. For a human rights critique of the Zimbabwe
Electoral Commission Act, see: Human Rights Watch, “Zimbabwe: Electoral Bill fails to meet
benchmarks”, 25 November 2004.
4
Southern African Development Community (SADC) Principles and Guidelines Governing
Democratic Elections, 2004.
Amnesty International 15 March 2005
AI Index: AFR 46/003/2005