Rights watchdog Amnesty International has accused Zimbabwe’s government of systematically shielding people responsible for torture, abductions and political killings from justice.
”Impunity has become the central problem in Zimbabwe, where state and non-state actors commit widespread human rights violations without being brought to justice,” Amnesty said in a new report on Tuesday.
”Unless the cycle of impunity can be broken, human rights abuses will continue unchecked and victims and their families will not see justice,” it added.
Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe has granted amnesties to excuse most politically motivated human rights violations after the 1995 presidential elections and the 2000 parliamentary elections.
His supporters were responsible for most of the political violence, Amnesty said.
In addition to pardoning crimes, Amnesty said Mugabe’s
government has also tried to cover up the role of state agents in rights abuses by using ”militia” backed by the regime, hindering journalists and rights defenders, manipulating police and undermining the judicial system.
Amnesty urged the government to repeal or amend laws that violate human rights and to move toward ratifying the UN convention against torture.
The government should also invite UN special rapporteurs on torture and on the independence of judges and lawyers to investigate matters related to their mandates, Amnesty said. – Sapa-AFP