[{"command":"settings","settings":{"pluralDelimiter":"\u0003","suppressDeprecationErrors":true,"ajaxPageState":{"libraries":"core\/picturefill,entity_embed\/caption,views\/views.ajax,views\/views.module","theme":"hrw_design","theme_token":null},"ajaxTrustedUrl":[],"views":{"ajax_path":"\/views\/ajax","ajaxViews":{"views_dom_id:blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__320779__en":{"view_name":"blog_live_feed","view_display_id":"blog_body_block","view_args":"320779","view_path":"\/blog\/content\/320779","view_base_path":null,"view_dom_id":"blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__320779__en","pager_element":0}}},"user":{"uid":0,"permissionsHash":"6586fc4c000830dfde489c46d0e475febfe606020fe8480d9abd231dd1b009e5"}},"merge":true},{"command":"add_css","data":"\u003Clink rel=\u0022stylesheet\u0022 media=\u0022all\u0022 href=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/css\/css_reI-6YIYy-k9pvxm-gaCRrn5cSrTZRtyAMrp4YXDUJw.css\u0022 \/\u003E\n"},{"command":"add_js","selector":"body","data":[{"src":"\/sites\/default\/files\/js\/js_VkK39bvB4H6LLVemwPFz8QWcUMTFqZ3FFo_LBVv_4vs.js"}]},{"command":"insert","method":"replaceWith","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__320779__en","data":"\u003Cdiv class=\u0022js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__320779__en\u0022\u003E\n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n\n \u003Cdiv\u003E\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \u003Cdiv class=\u0022blog-block__content__description rich-text pt-6 mb:pt-10 mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cp\u003EWith just seven days to go before Zimbabwe\u2019s national elections on July 30, intimidation and threats of post-election violence have increased, particularly in rural areas. Although incidents of political violence have been limited, Human Rights Watch has documented sporadic violence across the country. The incidents, involving members of both the ruling ZANU-PF party and the main opposition party, the MDC Alliance, appear to be localized. Unlike in the past, the police appear to have acted quickly on the complaints and initiated investigations.\u00a0\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/36184\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2018\/201807africa_zimbabwe_election2.jpg?itok=qAre-95F 480w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2018\/201807africa_zimbabwe_election2.jpg?itok=27D-Z1DY 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2018\/201807africa_zimbabwe_election2.jpg?itok=27D-Z1DY\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u00221133\u0022 alt=\u0022Photo of a burnt house\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003EThe remains of the kitchen hut of NPF district chairperson Cypren Kademukombe, in Hurungwe East, Mashonaland West Province. The kitchen hut was allegedly burned down by ZANU-PF supporters.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2018 Human Rights Watch\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EOn July 18, the state-owned\u00a0\u003Cem\u003EHerald\u00a0\u003C\/em\u003Enewspaper\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.herald.co.zw\/candidate-assaulted-as-chamisa-watches\/\u0022\u003Ereported\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0that opposition MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa\u2019s security guards allegedly assaulted and sprayed an unidentified substance into the eyes of 76-year-old Crispa Musoni, the opposition coalition\u2019s National Assembly candidate for Gutu Central constituency. Chamisa\u2019s spokesperson told Human Rights Watch that his security guards had simply \u201creacted to a threatening situation and the candidate [Musoni] fell in the process.\u201d Police investigations are underway following Musoni\u2019s report.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EA local media organization, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA-Zimbabwe),\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022file:\/\/\/C:\/Users\/jamesross\/Downloads\/zimbabwe.misa.org\/2018\/07\/16\/mdc-alliance-youths-assault-journalist\u0022\u003Ereported\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0that MDC-Alliance youths on July 15 assaulted freelance journalist Tamuka Charakupa in Chitungwiza, near Harare, as he took photos of violent clashes between MDC-Alliance and ZANU-PF youths. The police arrested two suspects on assault charges and the matter is before the courts.\u00a0\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022embed align-right embedded-entity embedded-entity-type-media embedded-entity-bundle-image embedded-entity-viewmode-embeddable embed--right\u0022\u003E\n \n\n\u003Cdiv\u003E\n \n \n\n\n\n\u003Cfigure class=\u0022figure figure--expand text-center\u0022\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__media relative inline-block mx-auto\u0022\u003E\n \u003Ca href=\u0022\/modal\/36183\u0022 rel=\u0022modal:open\u0022 class=\u0022figure__link\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cimg srcset=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/480w\/public\/multimedia_images_2018\/201807africa_zimbabwe_election3.jpg?itok=KmIzo6LF 427w, \/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2018\/201807africa_zimbabwe_election3.jpg?itok=_boux4gR 850w\u0022 sizes=\u0022(max-width: 524px) 100px, 500px\u0022 data-responsive-image-style=\u0022embedded_images\u0022 src=\u0022\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/embed_xxl\/public\/multimedia_images_2018\/201807africa_zimbabwe_election3.jpg?itok=_boux4gR\u0022 width=\u0022850\u0022 height=\u00221274\u0022 alt=\u0022Photo of a woman who has injuries on the side of her face.\u0022 loading=\u0022lazy\u0022 \/\u003E\u003Cdiv class=\u0022figure__expand absolute block bottom-0 right-0 w-8 h-8 bg-white text-gray-700\u0022\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022sr-only\u0022\u003EClick to expand Image\u003C\/span\u003E\n \n\n\n\n\u003Cdiv class=\u0022icon fill-current w-full inline-block\u0022\u003E\n \u003Csvg viewbox=\u00220 0 20 20\u0022 fill=\u0022currentColor\u0022 role=\u0022img\u0022 focusable=\u0022false\u0022 aria-hidden=\u0022true\u0022\u003E\u003Cuse xlink:href=\u0022\/themes\/custom\/hrw_design\/dist\/app-drupal\/assets\/spritemap.svg?cacheBuster=#sprite-expand\u0022\u003E\u003C\/use\u003E\u003C\/svg\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003C\/a\u003E\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n \u003Cfigcaption class=\u0022figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\u0022\u003E\u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__caption\u0022\u003EInjuries on the side of the face of a woman who told Human Rights Watch she was beaten on July 11 by ZANU-PF supporters using tree branches after they found a poster for MDC Alliance leader Nelson Chamisa on the wall of her house, in Nyatsime, Chitungwiza, near Harare. The ZANU-PF supporters in party regalia beat her up while she carried her 2-year-old son on her back.\n\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003Cspan class=\u0022figure__credit\u0022\u003E\u00a9 2018 Human Rights Watch\u003C\/span\u003E\n \u003C\/figcaption\u003E\u003C\/figure\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EDespite President Emmerson Mnangagwa\u2019s repeated calls for peace and promises that elections will be free and fair, his ZANU-PF party has not been spared the specter of election violence. In Hurungwe East, Mashonaland West province, the police are currently investigating several cases of political violence and intimidation between suspected supporters of ZANU-PF and the National Patriotic Front (NPF - a new party comprising supporters of former President Robert Mugabe, who was expelled from ZANU-PF). Givemore Madziva, in a telephone interview, told Human Rights Watch that on the night of July 14, several supporters of ZANU-PF vandalized his car as punishment for his support of the NPF. A week earlier, according to sources who spoke to Human Rights Watch, suspected ZANU-PF supporters burned down the kitchen hut of NPF district chairperson Cypren Kademukombe. He managed to escape with his three children who had been sleeping in the thatched hut kitchen when it was set alight. Police investigations are ongoing, but no arrests have been made at time of writing.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EA local human rights group, the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, on July 12\u00a0\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.hrforumzim.org\/news\/alert-zanu-pf-intra-party-violence-in-epworth\/\u0022\u003Ereported\u003C\/a\u003E\u00a0an outbreak of intra-party violence in ZANU-PF in Epworth in Harare. At least 13 people sustained injuries in the violence. In Chitungwiza, near Harare, some 100 ZANU-PF supporters in party regalia went on a rampage on July 11, beating up scores of Nyatsime residents, looting butcheries and tuck-shops (food vendor), and vandalizing houses and cars shouting that they were incensed to see many posters for the opposition leader Nelson Chamisa in the area and no posters for ZANU-PF. Following reports, police investigations are underway.\u00a0\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u0026#13;\n\u003Cp\u003EPolitical party leaders in Zimbabwe need to do more to curtail violent conduct of their supporters, while the police should sustain their so-far good efforts at investigating reported violence.\u003C\/p\u003E\u0026#13;\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\u003C\/div\u003E\n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n\u003C\/div\u003E\n","settings":null},{"command":"insert","method":"prepend","selector":".js-view-dom-id-blog_live_feed__blog_body_block__320779__en","data":"","settings":null}]