Zimbabwe 3rd Cycle United Nations Universal Periodic Review: CSO’s Stakeholder Report

Zimbabwe’s UPR review will be on the 26th of January 2022, below share the links to the Civil Society Organisation(CSO) Report which was submitted by CSOs in Zimbabwe for the third cycle reporting period. The CSO Report which was submitted to the Human Rights Council in July 2021 has been translated from English to Shona and Ndebele.

Overview of the Human Rights Situation

Despite the progress made in implementing some recommendations from the 2nd Cycle highlighted below, there were many human rights issues of concern during the period under review.

The political transition of November 2017 saw military intervention in national politics leading to the constructive resignation of former President Robert Mugabe. This development has altered the governance architecture of the country leading to
militarisation of governmental functions.

General elections were held on 30 July 2018, which were generally peaceful, but independent observer missions issued hundreds of recommendations for electoral reform, many of which remain outstanding as the country heads for its next elections in 2023. During public protests demanding election results on 1 August 2018, security agents used excessive force resulting in the death of six people from shootings, and several injured. The recommendations of a Commission of Inquiry established to look into the violence remain unimplemented.

Economic challenges led to protests in January 2019 to oppose a fuel-pricing policy that had ripple effects on the cost of living. Security agents, especially the army and police, responded with disproportionate force, dragnet arrests and summary trials.

In February 2020, Zimbabwe adopted lockdown measures to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). The selective partisan and violent enforcement of measures, and conditions imposed on the exercise of rights and freedoms, unduly limited enjoyment of
human rights.

Civic space continues to shrink at an alarming rate. Proposed new laws such as amendments to the PVO Act and Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Criminal Code), and the “Patriotic Bill”, will undermine the work of human rights defenders and NGOs, especiallythose working on governance issues.

Since 2017, the government has pushed through parliament two Bills introducing several amendments to the Constitution. The amendments have a devastating impact on separation of powers, increasing executive control over appointments within the judiciary and of the Prosecutor-General. The amendments also undermine the oversight role of parliaments over actions of the executive.

Access the English version of the report here (765KB PDF)

Access the Ndebele version of the report here (831KB PDF)

Access the Shona version of the report here    (827KB PDF)

Source: Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum

 

 

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