The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum), a conglomeration of rights groups operating in the country said the human rights situation has regressed in 2019 as several pointers have indicated.
Speaking during the United Nations International Human Rights Day commemorations, the Forum’s chairperson Jestina Mukoko said:
The overview of this year’s human rights situation indicates that we are not progressing, if anything we have gone several steps back.
The continued use of force on citizens who are suffering due to rising inflation, spiralling basic commodity prices, erosion of disposable incomes and power outages creates conditions for serious civil strife.
Currently, we also have this problem of the MaShurugwi who are unleashing terror using machetes across the country.
The year 2019 witnessed some of the most blatant human rights violations ever seen when, in January, 17 people were shot dead during fuel protests.
During the year, several human rights defenders and activists were abducted, beaten and left for dead by unknown gunmen.