News / National
America calls Mnangagwa to order
29 May 2019 at 13:22hrs | Views
The United States of America Embassy in Harare has called upon the government of Emmerson Mnangagwa to desist from its brutal crackdown on Human Rights Defenders.
The Embassy was responding to the recent arrest of seven human rights defenders who are accused of undertaking training to come and unleash a fresh wave of violent protests to unseat President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"Harassment and targeted arrests of civil society leaders damages Zimbabwe's reputation and economic future. We call on the Zimbabwean government to uphold its constitution, respect rule of law, and foster an environment where all can contribute to the nation's progress," The Embassy said in a statement.
On Wednesday the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum held a press briefing in Harare where they condemned the articles written by The Herald and The Chronicle alleging that NGOs were working to incite public uprising in the country to subvert a constitutionally elected government.
"The forum dismisses falsehoods by publications like the Herald that some NGO organizations were working to topple the government," ZHNGOForum said. "The work of fiction is not without consequence, timing of articles and arrests of some civil society actors is a cause for concern."
The Spokesperson of the Forum Justina Mukoko warned editors of the said papers that if they do not retract the false articles the Forum will take other measures.
The forum called on government to stop the crackdown on human rights defenders and focus on fixing the economy.
On Tuesday evening the youngest MDC MP Joana Mamombe was arrested by the police and appeared at the Magistrate courts on Wednesday.
Mamombe is the MP for Harare West.
The Embassy was responding to the recent arrest of seven human rights defenders who are accused of undertaking training to come and unleash a fresh wave of violent protests to unseat President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
"Harassment and targeted arrests of civil society leaders damages Zimbabwe's reputation and economic future. We call on the Zimbabwean government to uphold its constitution, respect rule of law, and foster an environment where all can contribute to the nation's progress," The Embassy said in a statement.
On Wednesday the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum held a press briefing in Harare where they condemned the articles written by The Herald and The Chronicle alleging that NGOs were working to incite public uprising in the country to subvert a constitutionally elected government.
"The forum dismisses falsehoods by publications like the Herald that some NGO organizations were working to topple the government," ZHNGOForum said. "The work of fiction is not without consequence, timing of articles and arrests of some civil society actors is a cause for concern."
The Spokesperson of the Forum Justina Mukoko warned editors of the said papers that if they do not retract the false articles the Forum will take other measures.
The forum called on government to stop the crackdown on human rights defenders and focus on fixing the economy.
On Tuesday evening the youngest MDC MP Joana Mamombe was arrested by the police and appeared at the Magistrate courts on Wednesday.
Mamombe is the MP for Harare West.
Source - Byo24News
