The United States of America has, in its 2021 edition, released a damning report on Human Rights abuses in Zimbabwe. Some of the incidents captured in the report included information from human rights groups in Zimbabwe.
The groups detailed the “physical and psychological abuse on labour leaders and opposition party members in recent years, including sexual assault; beating victims with sticks, clubs, cables, gun butts, and heavy whips (sjamboks); falanga (beating the soles of the feet); forced consumption of human excrement; oral chemical poisoning; and pouring corrosive substances on exposed skin,” all perpetrated by state agents.
Also contained in the report, is the case of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency CEO, Douglas Munatsi. Munatsi was reported to have died in a house fire but was actually tortured and killed. The fire was suspected to be arson, and there were reports of torture marks on the CEO’s body, indicating there was foul play.
“The disregard for human rights in Zimbabwe sends signals to the rest of the world that countries in transition are the most vulnerable states as they can easily regress in upholding and adhering to universal norms and standards.
“Zimbabwe continues to demonstrate how, despite being legal, governments can become tyrannical through the use of draconian laws.” Dr Annie Barbara Chikwanha observed in her October 2009 paper, titled “The trajectory of human rights violations in Zimbabwe.”
