According to a new report, ‘Walk the Talk’ by Amnesty International, Zimbabwean police are continuing to target and intimidate human rights defenders ahead of elections later this month.
The report outlines how the police have conducted systematic raids on offices, arbitrarily arrested human rights defenders and seized equipment to intimidate and disrupt the work of organisations carrying out human rights work.
Commenting on the findings of the amnesty report, Amnesty International’s Africa Deputy Programme Director, Noel Kututwa, said
“The clampdown on the work of human rights defenders is a worrying indicator that government agencies remain actively hostile to civil society.”
Since November 2012, at least five police raids of Non-governmental organisation offices have been conducted dozens of human rights defenders unlawfully detained and sent to court on charges that are considered to be politically motivated.
