Heal Zimbabwe condemns police assault on Sydney Chasi

Heal Zimbabwe Trust an organization fighting for human rights and democracy has condemned the beating up of a seasoned human rights activist, Sydney Chisi the Director of YIDEZ last Friday, 17 April 2015.

 Chisi was brutally assaulted by more than 10 riot policemen during the anti-xenophobic protests. "Chisi's only crime was protesting against the barbaric xenophobic attacks currently taking place in South Africa," Heal Zimbabwe said. "Such actions by law enforcement agents are a serious human rights violation that must be stopped because Chisi was  treated in a cruel, degrading and inhuman manner. Heal Zimbabwe demands that the perpetrators be held to account for violating his rights."

Heal Zimbabwe said additionally, it notes with concern how the same law enforcement agents that are mandated to protect and uphold citizen rights are actually the ones perpetrating violence. "Such actions also witnessed in the past especially throughout election periods, have robbed and will continue to rob people's confidence in the state institutions mandated to protect them," Heal Zimbabwe said. "Heal Zimbabwe Trust therefore calls for the Government and relevant state authorities to take action against the continued use of force and violence by security agents."

The organization also said there is never an excuse for police to use excessive force and violence against peaceful protests thus the need to put an end to such behaviour.

"Let us remember that it is every Zimbabweans responsibility to uphold peace from the community level up to national level because "…Peace begins with you; peace begins with me; peace begins with us all…"Heal Zimbabwe said.