British MP and former anti-apartheid campaigner Peter Hain has urged the British government to extend sanctions against Zimbabwe because of “escalating human rights violations” in the country.
In Zimbabwe, three women have recently been abducted and tortured: opposition MP and former Canon Collins Scholar Joanah Mamombe, together with Netsai Marowa and Cecilia Chembiri.
On July 20, highly respected journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested and denied bail for supporting an anti-corruption protest and faces 10 years in jail. Opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was arrested and youth leader Takunda Madzana abducted and tortured by state security agents on July 26.
As well as rampant corruption, there is a pattern of ongoing human rights violations under cover of the Covid-19 crackdown. Can the government update its sanctions to cover more Zimbabwe ministers and security chiefs?
Hain’s concerns over the shrinking democratic space are shared by many including the opposition in the country and human rights defenders.
He speaks ahead of Friday’s anti-government protests over bad governance in the country and the worsening socio-economic crisis.
More: Daily Maverick
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