{"id":2353,"date":"2019-01-23T14:17:56","date_gmt":"2019-01-23T14:17:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.com\/zimbabwe\/?p=2353"},"modified":"2019-01-23T14:17:56","modified_gmt":"2019-01-23T14:17:56","slug":"rights-defenders-accuse-zimbabwe-security-forces-of-torture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.cc\/zimbabwe\/all-news\/rights-defenders-accuse-zimbabwe-security-forces-of-torture","title":{"rendered":"Rights Defenders Accuse Zimbabwe Security Forces of Torture"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) denounced Thursday\u00a0cases of torture and arbitrary detentions\u00a0during the protests that have\u00a0taken place since last week, warning that among the detainees\u00a0are children as young as 11 years old.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the aftermath of\u00a0Jan. 14 disturbances<\/a>, armed and uniformed members of the Zimbabwe National Army and the Zimbabwe Republic Police instigated systematic torture. The torture was organized in that they targeted men who stay near areas where barricades had been placed and near areas that were torched by protestors or\u00a0looted,\u201d ZHRC stated and added that \u201cthose aligned to the Movement for Democratic Change were also specifically targeted for example Members of Parliament, Councillors and other active members.\u201d<\/p>\n

The\u00a0ZHRC explained\u00a0that\u00a0security forces arrived at night or at dawn to peoples’ houses and asked men to go out and lie on the ground. After\u00a0beating all\u00a0men, including 11 year-old\u00a0children, they asked\u00a0them to flee or face arrest.<\/p>\n

Current protests began on Jan. 14, a day after President Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that fuel prices would\u00a0be increased up\u00a0to US$3 per liter.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

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Protestors mounted barricades on streets in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. The government then ordered two 24-hour Internet blackouts.<\/p>\n

Since last week, security forces have brutally repressed protestors, arresting at least 700, shooting 12 people to death, and injuring hundreds.<\/p>\n

Among those arrested is Evan Mawarire, an opposition pastor who became famous for promoting the “This Flag Citizens Movement,” an initiative founded in 2016 “to speak out, ask questions and act against corruption, injustice and poverty.<\/p>\n

Mawarire, who is charged with subversion and inciting public violence, faces 20 years in prison if convicted. His lawyer said a judge was due to hear his case at the High Court on Wednesday. Mawarire was not expected to attend the hearing.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Zimbabwe activist seeks bail as hundreds face trial after protest .<\/p>\n

\u2014 We Resist (@WeResistNews) January 23, 2019
\nHowever, a lawyers’ group expressed concern that the courts were denying bail to anyone charged with public violence and, in some cases, were fast-tracking trials, threatening the right to fair hearings.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Representatives of international organizations, such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) or the International Crisis Group (ICG), accused the Zimbabwean government of “instigating” violence against its citizens and perpetuating “impunity.”<\/p>\n

This wave of protests, unusual since the fall of President Robert Mugabe in Nov. 2017, caused Mnangagwa to interrupt his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC) denounced Thursday\u00a0cases of torture and arbitrary detentions\u00a0during the protests that have\u00a0taken place since last week, warning that among the detainees\u00a0are children as young as 11 years old. \u201cIn the aftermath of\u00a0Jan. 14 disturbances, armed and uniformed members of the Zimbabwe National Army and the Zimbabwe Republic Police instigated systematic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2368,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,8,35,12],"tags":[152,134,167,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-2353","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-head-lines","9":"category-homepage-english","10":"category-policy","11":"tag-crisis","12":"tag-human-right","13":"tag-protesters","14":"tag-protests"},"yoast_head":"\nRights Defenders Accuse Zimbabwe Security Forces of Torture - 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