Human Rights Groups call for action on enforced disappearances

Source: Human Rights Groups call for action on enforced disappearances — CITEZW

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (the Forum) and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) have called on the government to take concrete steps to resolve outstanding cases of enforced disappearances, ensure accountability and support victims, survivors and affected families.

The organisations made the call in a press statement issued on Sunday to mark the United Nations International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

They called for victims and affected families to have access to truth, justice and effective reparation.

“Ensure victims and affected families have access to truth, justice and effective reparation, including psychosocial and material support, while addressing administrative obstacles arising from unresolved disappearances,” ZLHR said.

The organisations also called for enforced disappearances to be publicly condemned and for measures to be taken to prevent their recurrence.

“Publicly condemn enforced disappearances and take concrete measures to prevent its recurrence, working in cooperation with affected families and civil society organisations,” ZLHR said.

They further called for all outstanding cases to be investigated promptly, thoroughly, independently and impartially.

“Conduct prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations into all outstanding cases of alleged enforced disappearance, including by fully complying with existing court orders requiring investigations, ensuring accountability and keeping affected families informed of progress and outcomes,” ZLHR said.

The organisations said Zimbabwe’s upcoming fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in January 2027 should be used to address enforced disappearances and support recommendations on the issue.

“Utilise Zimbabwe’s fourth-cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to prioritise the prevention of enforced disappearances and support recommendations calling for the ratification and domestication of the ICPPED and CAT,” ZLHR said.

The Forum and ZLHR said this year’s commemoration was particularly significant as it coincided with the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED).

The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Victims First. Action Now.”

They said an enforced disappearance occurs when a person is deprived of their liberty by state agents or people acting with state authority, followed by a refusal to acknowledge the deprivation of liberty or the concealment of the person’s fate or whereabouts.

The organisations also highlighted the case of journalist and pro-democracy activist Itai Dzamara, who disappeared on 9 March 2015 after he was taken from a barbershop in Glen View, Harare.

They said that more than 11 years later, despite a court order requiring state authorities to investigate his disappearance, his fate and whereabouts remained unknown.

The organisations said Dzamara’s case, together with other unresolved cases of enforced disappearance, gave particular resonance to this year’s theme, “Victims First. Action Now.”

The Forum and ZLHR said the Constitution expressly protected rights affected by enforced disappearance, including the right to life, personal liberty and freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

“The constitution expressly protects the rights implicated by enforced disappearance including the right to life in section 48, personal identity in section 49 human dignity in section 51 personal security section 52 and freedom from torture or cruel inhuman or degrading in section 53,” ZLHR said.

They said the Constitution also protected the rights of arrested and detained persons and guaranteed access to the courts to enforce those rights.

“Section 50 further safeguards the rights of arrested and detained persons, while section 85 guarantees access to the courts for the enforcement of these rights. An enforced disappearance therefore constitutes a serious violation of these fundamental constitutional rights and safeguards,” ZLHR said.

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