December 2018 HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS Analysis The decline in violations reported in the month may be attributed to the end of year close out procedures where businesses shutdown and the market slowed down to wrap up processes. Violations attributed to the Zimbabwe Republic Police fell slightly from 25% in November to 21% in December. Municipal security officers were responsible for 19% of recorded violations. This is mainly due to the brutality with which the police services discharge their duties while removing vendors from central business districts of urban cities or when demolishing homes of people who may be illegally occupying land. For example on 7 December police were patrolling Harare Central Business District carrying out searches without search warrants. Those perceived to be vendors and street dealers were harassed. These high figures of violations perpetrated by the security forces were also corroborated by the findings of the commission of inquiry which found out that actions of police and military resulted in injury and death of civilians. This may have been avoided if Parliament implements and enforces the provisions of the constitution which stipulate the establishment of an independent complaints mechanism that guards against the excesses of security officers in the discharge of their duties according to section 210 of the Constitution. Failure by parliament and the executive to align laws with the constitution is also the reason why the police continue to rely on unconstitutional legislation to curtail political rights of citizens. According to Section 210 an Act of parliament must provide an effective and independent mechanism for receiving and investigating complaints from members of the public about 8