Human Rights Archive Zimbabwe

This article assesses the effectiveness of the Tree of Life healing approach, which was one of the methodologies tried during the course of the research with a small group of survivors of the 1980s atrocities.

This report covers the state of human rights in Zimbabwe in the year 2018. While it is impossible to capture and record every single incident that happened in the year, the report presents and analyses key events and incidences that shaped the human rights landscape, as well as compliance,accountability and impunity.

The alert highlights that failure by the government to honour court judgments in favour of victims of human rights violations by the police and the military, is actually a human rights violation.

This report captures all the proceedings of the symposium, speeches, expert exchanges and outcomes. With QR codes scattered across the report, the reader is invited to join the dialogue, to watch the videos of the presentations and capture the full emotion of the 2018 symposium.

In May 2003 REDRESS learned that an allegedly notorious Zimbabwean police torturer, Henry Dowa, was in Kosovo. Sources inside and outside of Zimbabwe confirmed that there were numerous serious allegations of torture linked to him, and further investigations revealed that Dowa was part of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) civilian police force (CIVPOL).

Zimbabwe has not acceded to the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment nor the statute of the International Criminal Court. There are a number of other specific Commonwealth declarations and principles, which were applicable to Zimbabwe before it left the Commonwealth in 2003.

This report highlights the impunity that prevails in Zimbabwe. It provides an update on illustrative cases of political killings, torture, and abductions that took place during the presidential election run-off in 2008 and in the aftermath of the elections.

Under humanitarian law and a series of international conventions, all gross human rights violations are argued to require legal remedy. However, in situations of epidemic violence legal remedies may require extension through a policy of reparations. There are conceptual confusions that often impair the proper formulation of a reparations policy. This paper examines these problems in the context of Zimbabwe.

This study has been influenced by our reading of similar literatures in relation to the psychological and social effects of the trauma resulting from organised violence and torture. While we will not be reviewing that literature in depth in this report, it does seem important to note that there is a large body of literature relating both to similar experiences elsewhere in the world and also within the specifically Zimbabwean context.

This present study is an extension and elaboration of previous work on Operation Murambatsvina. It arose out of the need to have more in-depth information about a number of key areas in their lives and experiences of those affected by Operation Murambatsvina; namely, trauma, HIV/AIDS, legal issues, and losses.

This report contains the preliminary findings of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), pursuant to an ongoing investigation undertaken into complaints alleging violations of human rights, in particular the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment by COMPLAINANT A AND OTHERS in Epworth and Budiriro, in the Harare Metropolitan Province, Zimbabwe.

This report includes case summaries, with histories, examination findings and two photographs, of incidents of violence inflicted during the week of the National Mass Action 2nd-9th June 2003. Medical reports were obtained and are available for at least 150 people who sought medical help for injuries sustained as a result of state organised violence.

This paper deals with the problem of epidemic violence and its consequences, most notably with the problem of torture, which is a common consequence of epidemic violence. It is located in that most violent of continents, Africa, and in Zimbabwe in particular.

The manual was produced to enhance the capacity of members of the PBNZ in their peace-building work by way of a bottom-up approach that also seeks to complement the role that will be played by the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and other local and national processes. Specifically, the manual is intended to develop the capacity of members of the PBNZ in their efforts to heal communities devastated by political violence, as well as by future instances of violent conflict, so that peace can be sustained in Zimbabwe.

Heal Zimbabwe recorded a total of 16 cases of human rights violations from 9 districts between the 20th of August and the 15th of September 2017.

October 2016 reports related to discrimination and denial of food to those considered to be politically ‘incorrect’.

The November 2015 report outlined Fear as a tool of Political Manipulation as ordinary people fear that there will be repercussions to support another party.

This report is based on reports from ZPP long-term community based human rights monitors who observe, monitor and record cases of human rights violations in the constituencies they reside.

This report is based on reports from ZPP long-term community based human rights monitors who observe, monitor and record cases of human rights violations in the constituencies they reside.

The report talks about how supporting the opposition is a costly ordeal and how rights are not only grossly trampled upon, but they are torn up in a thousand little pieces and thrown to the winds in Zimbabwe.

The report talks about how the political landscape of Zimbabwe continues to be awash with intolerance and bias. While members of opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) are seen on the offensive in a few of the recorded instances, in the majority of reported incidences in August the ruling Zanu PF is the dominant perpetrator, a situation that continues to repeat itself.

This report covers recorded incidents of civil and political rights violations from the ten provinces of Zimbabwe for the month of June 2015.The month of June 2015 was filled with a number of enthralling political developments most of which have an impact on the attainment of sustainable peace.

The Zimbabwe Peace project recorded an increase in Human rights violations to 190 in November 2017.Most Cases of Harassment and Intimidation were linked to the BVR exercise and the Intra-party violence within the ruling part ZANU PF.

The Report Highlights how Zimbabweans are Prisoners of fear and how the farming season has contributed to an increase in cases of intimidation and harassment as well as discrimination as cases of discrimination have increased from 21 to 31.

There was an increase of Violations in September from 149 to 178 cases.There were creations of terror networks because of the violations perpetrated by Traditional Leaders.

The month of May stands out owing to violations of the right to education, the right to food and civil and political rights mainly freedom of association and assembly. This May ZPP recorded the highest number of incidences where pupils were sent away from school for failure to pay school fees or clear the previous term’s arrears.

The report is about the floods that hit the country particularly in Masvingo, Matebeleland South and North as well as Bulawayo. They led to food shortages as crops, livestock and property were destroyed.

The month of January recorded many violations which were politically motivated. Most of the reported cases were harassment and intimidation of opposition political activists. Other prominent cases were those of deprivation of state sponsored food aid and inputs for farming.

Human Rights violations continued on a downward trend in the month of December with 136 violations recorded, down from the 164 recorded in November. Zanu PF was responsible for most of the violations followed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police officers and Municipal police officers.

The report highlights how the Zimbawe Republic Police made up 25% of the perpetrators of Human Rights Violations which was one of the highest figures in 2018.