BornToResistOppresion

RETWEET The United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders has issued a statement calling for the release of over 100 political prisoners in Zimbabwe. Mary Lawlor @MaryLawlorhrds described the enforced disappearances, incommunicado detention, torture, and subsequent arbitrary detention of human rights defenders by Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government as unacceptable. Full statement below👇🏿 GENEVA (15 August 2024) – The Zimbabwean authorities must immediately release human rights defenders who have been arbitrarily detained for over two weeks and drop charges against them, independent human rights experts* said today. Woman human rights defender Namatai Kwekweza, teacher and labour rights defender Robson Chere, the Secretary-General of Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), along with local councilor for Harare Ward 5, Samuel Gwenzi, were forcibly removed from a departing flight at Harare Airport on 31 July 2024. Unidentified men escorted the three to a high security zone within the airport and held them incommunicado for eight hours. During this time, the three were reportedly subjected to enforced disappearance, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, including waterboarding. Additionally, they were severely threatened against protesting in advance of or during the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit scheduled for 17 to 19 August 2024 in Harare. “The enforced disappearance, incommunicado detention and torture, followed by the arbitrary detention of these human rights defenders is inexcusable, and not only violates international human rights law but also makes a mockery of the safeguards contained in Zimbabwe’s own Constitution,” the experts said. At around 9PM on 31 July 2024, the human rights defenders were handed over to the Zimbabwe Republic Police at Harare Central Police Station, when they were informed, for the first time, that they were facing charges of “disorderly conduct” under section 41 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act. These charges relate to their alleged participation in a demonstration calling for the release of a detained opposition politician. Namatai Kwekweza was apparently not even in Zimbabwe at the time of the demonstration in question. The experts said, “These baseless charges are being used as a fig-leaf to target human rights defenders and opposition voices for calling for greater democracy, human rights and accountability in Zimbabwe. At a time when Zimbabwe is preparing to host the SADC summit, whose values include institutions that are “democratic, legitimate, and effective”, it is unconscionable that these human rights defenders working to strengthen such institutions remain arbitrarily detained.” The release of the human rights defenders on bail has been opposed by the prosecutor and a further bail hearing has been scheduled for tomorrow, 16 August 2024. The experts have been in touch with the Government of Zimbabwe on the issue. ENDS srdefenders.org/zimbabwe-mus…

The international human rights organizations issuing statements against the actions of the Zimbabwean dictator are doing so because you are spreading the word through RETWEETS on Twitter and RESHARING on Facebook. You are the one who can make the world aware of your plight, so when we ask you to RETWEET and RESHARING, we are asking you to amplify the message of your suffering. It doesn’t cost you a penny to retweet or reshare. During the liberation struggle, messages moved from village to village by word of mouth. You are now fortunate to have social media, use it as a tool to expose the dictator by simply retweeting and resharing content from Zimbabwe. The people in Zimbabwe are brave enough to shoot videos and take pictures to show us the madness of Mnangagwa. Let us assist them by sharing this content. South Africans often mock us for being disinterested in our plight and focusing on their issues, sometimes they have a point. Zimbabwe will never be free without Zimbabweans doing their part to reach the point of freedom. The more people retweet and reshare what is happening in Zimbabwe, the more difficult it becomes for the dictator. I know this because many world leaders are calling me to ask what has gone wrong with the regime. It is through the power of your retweets and resharing that people are learning about these issues and informing their leaders. Let us do more. Together, we can achieve a lot for our people, who are living in a hellhole created by Mnangagwa and his thugs. The power of social media as a tool for raising awareness and driving change is huge, that is why the dictator jets angry with those of us sharing what is happening inside Zimbabwe. In today's interconnected world, platforms like Twitter and Facebook offer unprecedented opportunities for citizens to share information, expose injustice, and mobilise support for their cause. It is important for Zimbabweans and their allies to actively engage in the dissemination of critical information, particularly when traditional media outlets are stifled or controlled by the regime. By sharing firsthand accounts, images, and videos of the human rights violations and suffering caused by the Mnangagwa regime, the global community can be made aware of the dire situation in Zimbabwe and the urgent need for action. The increased attention will encourage world leaders to take notice and apply pressure on the Zimbabwean tegime to respect human rights and adhere to democratic principles. We are not asking for money; we are asking you to pay attention to what is happening in your country and to support the brave citizens on the ground who are sharing accurate information. This information helps communicators like me inform the world. Don’t underestimate your power, USE IT!

RETWEET The global human rights organization Human Rights Watch @hrw has issued a lengthy statement calling for Zimbabwean tyrant Emmerson Mnangagwa to end the crackdown against pro-democracy activists. Full statement 👇🏿 hrw.org/news/2024/08/09/zimb…

RETWEET The Red Carpet of Blood As the SADC summit approaches and Emmerson Mnangagwa rolls out the Red Carpet of Blood and terror, it is important for Africans to be aware that there are over 100 Zimbabwean political prisoners held in connection with this summit, starting from June 16, by Zimbabwean dictator Emmerson Mnangagwa. One of these prisoners has been so severely tortured that doctors fear he may suffer permanent kidney damage, but Mnangagwa has refused to allow him medical treatment. Another pro-democracy prisoner, a mother, is in jail with her one-year-old child, highlighting the cruelty of the Zimbabwean tyrant. Namatai Kwekweza, another prisoner, was abducted from a plane, held incommunicado for over eight hours, and jailed without bail. She is accused of a crime supposedly committed on June 27, despite evidence showing she was in South Africa at that time. There is no rule of law in Zimbabwe. The judiciary is led by Chief Justice Luke Malaba, who was appointed unconstitutionally by the tyrant. The unconstitutional appointment of Malaba is a grave concern and a clear indicator of the erosion of the rule of law in Zimbabwe. This appointment, made by Mnangagwa in defiance of constitutional guidelines, further undermines the independence of the judiciary and threatens the rights of Zimbabwean citizens. Malaba's appointment was intended to facilitate the prosecution and persecution of pro-democracy activists by the tyrant using the corrupted court system. SADC leaders are entering a situation marked by these egregious human rights violations, carried out by the dictator in their name.

This is real-time in Chitungwiza’s St. Mary’s township as Zimbabwean dictator Emmerson Mnangagwa displays his high levels of paranoia. Mnangagwa has turned cities into military zones, banning public events, including music shows, as he prepares for the SADC Summit. Since June 16, when he imprisoned 78 pro-democracy activists, including a woman with a one-year-old baby, Mnangagwa has jailed almost 100 activists. Last week, his secret service agents forcibly removed four activists from a plane bound for Victoria Falls and severely tortured one of them for eight hours, to the point where doctors fear permanent kidney failure. The situation in Chitungwiza township is alarming and reflects the repressive measures Mnangagwa is willing to take to maintain control. Turning cities into military zones and banning public gatherings ahead of the SADC summit is a clear violation of Zimbabweans' rights to freedom of assembly and expression. The guy is illegitimate and is running scared of his own citizens violating the constitution!