News / National
Zimbabwe protests unverified human rights claims
27 Oct 2023 at 01:14hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's delegation to the 77th session of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) has formally lodged a complaint regarding unverified allegations made by a panelist from the Pan-African Lawyers Union (PALU) concerning the situation in their country.
The delegation has requested the ACHPR to remove unproven allegations from the panel discussion report on its website and to issue a public statement distancing itself from the assertions made by the PALU representative.
Mrs. Vimbai Nyemba, the Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, leads Zimbabwe's delegation at the ongoing 77th session in Arusha, Tanzania. She urged the ACHPR to ensure the verification of facts before disseminating information that could potentially tarnish the reputation of member states.
In their formal complaint, the Zimbabwean delegation expressed deep concern and disappointment, categorically rejecting the unverified claims and unfounded allegations put forth by the PALU panelist. They emphasized the ACHPR's obligation to seek relevant information from concerned states, as per Article 51 (1) of the Charter, before taking a stance on such matters.
Zimbabwe also criticized the ACHPR for allowing a panelist to present a case study on Zimbabwe's 2023 harmonized elections when final reports from election observer missions were still pending, violating the ACHPR's mandate to consider all relevant information before making findings or recommendations.
The delegation raised concerns about the late upload of documents by the ACHPR Secretariat, making it difficult for delegations to adequately prepare and participate in sessions. They deemed this practice unprofessional and disrespectful.
Furthermore, Zimbabwe expressed unease about the ACHPR's inadequate examination of panelists and resource materials, leading to the dissemination of inaccurate and misleading information.
The delegation pointed out that they had promptly responded to all previous communications from the ACHPR. They found it shocking that unfounded allegations were presented without sufficient evidence.
Zimbabwe called for ACHPR reports and panel discussions to focus on facts rather than allegations and to adhere to the ACHPR's procedures that only verified information should be published.
The delegation rejected the ACHPR's implication that there were proven abductions of its citizens and questioned the commission's compliance with Article 56 (5) of the Charter, which requires the exhaustion of local remedies before addressing human and peoples' rights issues.
In light of these unverified allegations, Zimbabwe strongly urged the ACHPR to take immediate action and rebuild trust with member states by operating transparently and accountably. They also requested a meeting with the ACHPR Chairperson to express their concerns about the treatment of their country.
The 77th session of the ACHPR, which began on October 20, is scheduled to conclude on November 9.
The delegation has requested the ACHPR to remove unproven allegations from the panel discussion report on its website and to issue a public statement distancing itself from the assertions made by the PALU representative.
Mrs. Vimbai Nyemba, the Permanent Secretary for Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, leads Zimbabwe's delegation at the ongoing 77th session in Arusha, Tanzania. She urged the ACHPR to ensure the verification of facts before disseminating information that could potentially tarnish the reputation of member states.
In their formal complaint, the Zimbabwean delegation expressed deep concern and disappointment, categorically rejecting the unverified claims and unfounded allegations put forth by the PALU panelist. They emphasized the ACHPR's obligation to seek relevant information from concerned states, as per Article 51 (1) of the Charter, before taking a stance on such matters.
Zimbabwe also criticized the ACHPR for allowing a panelist to present a case study on Zimbabwe's 2023 harmonized elections when final reports from election observer missions were still pending, violating the ACHPR's mandate to consider all relevant information before making findings or recommendations.
The delegation raised concerns about the late upload of documents by the ACHPR Secretariat, making it difficult for delegations to adequately prepare and participate in sessions. They deemed this practice unprofessional and disrespectful.
The delegation pointed out that they had promptly responded to all previous communications from the ACHPR. They found it shocking that unfounded allegations were presented without sufficient evidence.
Zimbabwe called for ACHPR reports and panel discussions to focus on facts rather than allegations and to adhere to the ACHPR's procedures that only verified information should be published.
The delegation rejected the ACHPR's implication that there were proven abductions of its citizens and questioned the commission's compliance with Article 56 (5) of the Charter, which requires the exhaustion of local remedies before addressing human and peoples' rights issues.
In light of these unverified allegations, Zimbabwe strongly urged the ACHPR to take immediate action and rebuild trust with member states by operating transparently and accountably. They also requested a meeting with the ACHPR Chairperson to express their concerns about the treatment of their country.
The 77th session of the ACHPR, which began on October 20, is scheduled to conclude on November 9.
Source - The Herald
