State-sponsored political violence increased with 113 cases of torture, assault and other human rights violations recorded in June, according to a report released by Zimbabwe Human Rights (ZimRights) on Monday.
The opposition believes political violence is expected to escalate in the next few weeks ahead of next month’s municipal elections.
ZimRights, a human rights watchdog, said the country’s human rights record had deteriorated to ”pathetic” levels as ruling Zanu-PF supporters continued to terrorise perceived opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters.
”In continued contravention of Section 21(1) of the Zimbabwean Constitution, citizens are being routinely targeted on the basis of genuine or perceived political affiliation,” said ZimRights.
The report fingered state security agents as the main perpetrators of violence apparently pandering to the whims of President Robert Mugabe to consolidate his power. The retribution campaign also spilt over to learning institutions as they were viewed by the government as the breeding ground for opposition politics, said the report.
”State agents have reportedly been witnessed engaging in organised violence and torture and intimidatory activities at institutions of higher learning and medical facilities.
”Students from the University of Zimbabwe were among those victimised by state agents, on suspicion that they were convening meetings in support of the ‘final push’,” read the report.
The MDC last month called for street demonstrations, dubbed the ”final push”, which they said were aimed at forcing Mugabe to the negotiating table to hatch a solution to the ever-worsening socio-economic and political crisis in the country.
The protests were violently quelled by heavily armed riot police, while hundreds of angry protesters were nabbed, including the opposition party leader Morgan Tsvangirai.
”While the Human Rights Forum unreservedly condemns the use of violent means in the exercise of the rights to freedom of expression and movement by an individual or political party, (particularly the two dominant parties in Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF and MDC) it equally condemns regular use of organised violence and torture as a means to curtail this right or to enforce law and order.”
Particularly disturbing, said the report, were allegations that high-level government officials were actively involved in organised violence and torture.
ZimRights said more than five victims made allegations that the minister of youth development, gender and employment creation, Elliot Manyika, was actively involved in the torture of residents in high density suburbs in Harare, specifically Glen View and Marondera. No comment could be obtained from Manyika. – Sapa