Zimbabwe News on HRW.org
For further updates, please visit our Zimbabwe page.
On July 30, Zimbabweans vote in the first national elections which, for the first time in 38 years will not have Robert Mugabe on the ballot paper. If necessary, a presidential runoff election will be held on September 8. This blog will post live updates from a Human Rights Watch team on the ground in Zimbabwe focusing on the human rights environment including the full enjoyment of rights to freedom of association and peaceful assembly prior to, during, and after the elections. This blog will spotlight security forces involvement in the electoral process, application of the laws, and incidents of intimidation and violence and the overall impact on the elections.
For further updates, please visit our Zimbabwe page.
Statement on the 2018 Election and Post Election Environment @SABCNewsOnline @mishbulo1 @DailyNewsZim @DavidColtart @giz_gmbh @euinzim @HeraldZimbabwe @ZBCNewsonline @advocatemahere @ZLHRLawyers @LRFZimbabwe @veritaszim @kubatana @eNCAnews_Rose @ZimNgo @UNDPZimbabwe @harumutasa pic.twitter.com/w5HnzoqRpg
— Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (@zhrc365) August 10, 2018
Please join us tomorrow at 11am EST for a Facebook Live discussion with Human Rights Watch Southern Africa director Dewa Mavhinga.
Join the discussion here.
Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa has issued a statement announcing the release of Tendai Biti. We will update as more information is known.
Breaking: @edmnangagwa says @BitiTendai was released today after he intervened. It is unclear how he intervened, with what implications for the independence of the judiciary. Law yers, comments? @Rex27 @Wamagaisa @tsunga_arnold @kaajal1 @veritaszim @CatherineMakoni @RevaiMakanje pic.twitter.com/19jvYXOf8x
— Dewa Mavhinga (@dewamavhinga) August 9, 2018
Zimbabwean opposition leader Tendai Biti appeared in court today after being taken into police custody following his asylum claim denial in Zambia.
Police @PoliceZimbabwe confirm @BitiTendai faces public violence charge & unofficial or false declaration of results. @kaajal1 @ZLHRLawyers @MDCAllianceZW @hrw @georginagodwin @YGwashawanhu @263Chat @ZULUBLE @PedzisaiRuhanya pic.twitter.com/zNqUN6BUSr
— Dewa Mavhinga (@dewamavhinga) August 9, 2018
Breaking: @BitiTendai granted bail which the State did not oppose. Bail conditions: To pay US$5000 bail & surrender passport. To stay at his given address & not to interfere with witnesses. @ZLHRLawyers @MDCAllianceZW @kaajal1 @263Chat @povonewsafrica @georginagodwin @hrw pic.twitter.com/t9h00s0zE5
— Dewa Mavhinga (@dewamavhinga) August 9, 2018
Zambia violated its domestic and international law obligations when it forcibly returned Tendai Biti and three others to Zimbabwe after they applied for asylum and in defiance of a court order barring such deportation.
True or not, those aren’t the standards that govern asylum decisions ma’am. @BitiTendai and those with him had a well-founded fear of persecution. Also, your govt defied a court order. So let’s not confuse people. https://t.co/8ne8HGuyF5
— Nicholas Dawes (@NicDawes) August 9, 2018
Zambia’s minister of information is now offering a time-travel rationale for sending @BitiTendai and his party back to Zimbabwe. Let’s be clear: they were returned after the court order, and in defiance of the court order. https://t.co/nhYUQCf4jN
— Nicholas Dawes (@NicDawes) August 9, 2018
The UN Refugee Agency has issued a statement expressing concern over Zambia's refusal of asylum claims and subsequent deportation of Tendai Biti and other Zimbabwe opposition members.
UNHCR concerned over reports of forced return of Zimbabwean asylum-seeker https://t.co/weFWXNvqLQ
— UNHCR News (@RefugeesMedia) August 9, 2018
Continue Reading Denied Asylum by Zambia, Opposition Leader Back in Harare
Continue Reading Zambia Denies Asylum Claim by Zimbabwe Opposition Leader
Continue Reading Zambia Denies Asylum Claims from Opposition Members
Continue Reading Update: Opposition Members In Zambia Awaiting Word on Asylum Claims
Continue Reading Zimbabwe Opposition Leader Arrives in Zambia
Continue Reading Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Statement on Army's Response to August 1 Protests
Continue Reading Abductions, Beatings, & Harassment as Armed Men Hunt for Opposition Officials
Continue Reading Growing International Concerns Over Zimbabwe Rights Situation
Continue Reading Zimbabwe: Intensified Crackdown on Opposition
Continue Reading The Elders Call on Zimbabwe to End the Violence
Continue Reading Soldiers on Rampage in Harare’s High-Density Suburbs
Continue Reading Zimbabwe: At Least 6 Dead in Post-Election Violence
Continue Reading Zimbabwe Government Should Investigate Killings
Continue Reading Regional Bodies Report on Zimbabwe Elections
Continue Reading Anxiety, Tension Awaiting Zimbabwe Election Results
Continue Reading Huge Turnout Predicted as Zimbabweans Vote in Historic Election
Continue Reading Intimidation, Harassment Increase in Zimbabwe’s Rural Areas
Continue Reading Threat of Violence Looms as Zimbabwe Elections Approach