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16 cases of human rights violation recorded within two weeks
31 Jul 2017 at 08:10hrs | Views
Heal Zimbabwe Trust has reported that in the period under review 08-24 July it recorded a total of 16 human rights violations from 10 districts across the country.
The trust said the organisation recorded a total of 4 different categories of human rights violations that include Intimidation with threats of violence or threats of withdrawal of food aid or agricultural inputs, unfair aid distribution, disruption of political gatherings and forced participation (in political meetings, Financial or material contributions).
"Intimidation registered a staggering 75% (12 cases), followed by unfair distribution of food or agricultural inputs registering a total of 12.5% (2 cases), disruption of political gatherings recording 6.25% (1 case) and forced attendance to political gatherings recording 6.25% (1 case).The organisation is greatly concerned by the rising number of cases related to intimidation in local communities," said the trust.
"The upsurge signals possible violence ahead of the 2018 elections. HZT is equally concerned by cases of intimidation emerging around the new Biometric Voter Registration process. Community members are being threatened by perpetrators who are moving around claiming that the new registration process allows them to see who the people would have voted for. This undemocratic behaviour compromises the credibility of the whole electoral process. And HZT calls upon the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to move in swiftly especially in rural areas and conduct robust mass voter education exercises to demystify the lies as this helps in boosting the electorate's confidence in the whole election process."
The trust said the organisation recorded a total of 4 different categories of human rights violations that include Intimidation with threats of violence or threats of withdrawal of food aid or agricultural inputs, unfair aid distribution, disruption of political gatherings and forced participation (in political meetings, Financial or material contributions).
"Intimidation registered a staggering 75% (12 cases), followed by unfair distribution of food or agricultural inputs registering a total of 12.5% (2 cases), disruption of political gatherings recording 6.25% (1 case) and forced attendance to political gatherings recording 6.25% (1 case).The organisation is greatly concerned by the rising number of cases related to intimidation in local communities," said the trust.
"The upsurge signals possible violence ahead of the 2018 elections. HZT is equally concerned by cases of intimidation emerging around the new Biometric Voter Registration process. Community members are being threatened by perpetrators who are moving around claiming that the new registration process allows them to see who the people would have voted for. This undemocratic behaviour compromises the credibility of the whole electoral process. And HZT calls upon the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to move in swiftly especially in rural areas and conduct robust mass voter education exercises to demystify the lies as this helps in boosting the electorate's confidence in the whole election process."
Source - Byo24News
