Why post-Mugabe Zimbabwe ‘remains mired in misery’

From Democracy Digest

Zimbabwe’s state security agencies are suspected to have been involved in incidents that have targeted scores of opposition supporters, rights activists and even comedians who poke fun at political leaders. The heavily armed agents reportedly raid homes during the night. Such incidents happened during the long rule of Robert Mugabe but are now resurfacing under the new president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. Rights lawyers say the government is not doing enough to protect its citizens and investigate cases of torture, Deutsche Welle reports.

“The Zimbabwean state is failing to guarantee the personal security of its citizens,” Doug Coltart, a human rights lawyer and victim of police brutality, told DW. “Section 52 of the constitution guarantees the right of all people to freedom from violence from public or private sources. If anything, all of the evidence points towards the state being the primary perpetrator of the abuses,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s government “must end its violent crackdown on dissent in the country and immediately investigate reports of beatings and torture by state security agents,” said Jon Temin, director of Africa programs at Freedom House.

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