Zimbabwe
18.01.19
Urgent Interventions

Acts of intimidation against Mr. Okay Machisa, National Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association

URGENT APPEAL - THEOBSERVATORY

ZWE 002 / 0119 / OBS 007

Intimidation

Zimbabwe

January 18, 2019

The Observatory for the Protection ofHuman Rights Defenders, a partnership of FIDH and the World OrganisationAgainst Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the followingsituation in Zimbabwe.

Descriptionof the situation:

The Observatory has beeninformed by reliable sources about the acts of intimidation against Mr. Okay Machisa, National ExecutiveDirector of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), and othermembers of the organisation, in a context of repression of a nation-widepopular protest movement.

According to theinformation received, in the night of January 17, 2019, around 20 policeofficers in civilian clothes surrounded Mr. Okay Machisa’s house in Harare witha minibus and two unmarked vehicles, and tried to get Mr. Machisa and hisfamily out of their home. Mr. Machisa and his family managed to temporarilyleave their house for a safe place and came back home during the night.

Other members and staff ofZimRights have also faced similar acts of intimidation since the beginning ofthe protest movement. Over the last few days, the security forces have beenintimidating on a large scale human rights defenders through acts ofsurveillance in relation with their supposed participation in the protestmovement. These acts targeted also members of the organisation who were out ofthe country at the time of the protest. These practices have generated a climateof fear among civil society leading several human rights defenders to go intohiding.

More generally, theObservatory denounces the current crackdown on peaceful protesters in Zimbabwe,which followed President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s announcement that the fuel pricewould more than double as the country’s economic crisis is deepening. Inresult, several persons were shot dead(at least twelve as of the publication of this appeal) or wounded, as well asaround 450 people arbitrarily detained. The Government also blocked access tothe Internet and social media.

The Observatory recallsthat, in relation to the same above-mentioned protests, Pastor Evan Mawarirehas been detained since January 16, 2019 and faces charges of “subverting aconstitutional government”.[1]

The Observatory condemnsthe acts of intimidation against Mr. Okay Machisa, his family and other membersof ZimRights, as they seem to be aimed only at punishing them for theirlegitimate and peaceful human rights activities. The Observatory urges theZimbabwean authorities to immediately end any act of intimidation andharassment against Mr. Okay Machisa, ZimRights members and all human rightsdefenders in the country.

Actions requested:

Please write to theauthorities of Zimbabwe asking them to:

i. Guarantee inall circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. OkayMachisa, his family, all the members of ZimRights, and all human rightsdefenders in Zimbabwe;

iii. Put an end to all actsof intimidation and harassment, including at the judicial level, against Mr.Okay Machisa, ZimRights’ members and all human rights defenders inZimbabwe, and ensure that they are able to carry out their activitieswithout hindrance;

iv. Conform to theprovisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by theGeneral Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially Articles1 and 12; and

v. Ensure in allcircumstances the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms inaccordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the internationalhuman rights instruments ratified by Zimbabwe.

Addresses:

· President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa; Fax:+263 4 708 211 / + 263.4.70.38.58 @edmnangagwa

· Mr. Cain Mathema, Minister of Home Affairs, thesecretary@moha.gov.zw, Phone: +263 2 42 70 36 41/43, Fax: +263 2 42 70 72 31

· Mr. Sibusiso Moyo, Minister of ForeignAffairs, mfa@zimfa.gov.zw, Phone: +263 47 94 68 16

· Mr. Ziyambi Ziyambi, Minister of Justice, Legaland Parliamentary Affairs, Phone: +263 2 42 77 46 20/7, Fax: +263 2 42 77 29 99

· Mr. Prince Machaya, Attorney-General,Office of the Attorney; Fax: + 263 4 77 32 47;

· Ambassador Mr. Taonga Mushayavanhu,Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the United Nations in Geneva; Fax: + 41 22 75830 44; Email: mission.zimbabwe@ties.itu.int

· Embassy of Zimbabwe in Brussels; Fax: + 32 2762 96 05 / + 32 2 775 65 10, Email: zimbrussels@skynet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic missions orembassies of Zimbabwe in your respective country.

***

Paris-Geneva, January 18, 2019

Kindly inform us of any action undertakenquoting the code of this appeal in your reply.

The Observatory for the Protection of HumanRights Defenders (the Observatory) was created in 1997 by FIDH and the WorldOrganisation Against Torture (OMCT). The objective of this programme is tointervene to prevent or remedy situations of repression against human rightsdefenders. FIDH and OMCT are both members of ProtectDefenders.eu, the European Union Human Rights DefendersMechanism implemented by international civil society.

To contact the Observatory, call the emergencyline:

· E-mail: Appeals@fidh-omct.org

· Tel and fax FIDH + 33 1 43 55 25 18 / +33 1 4355 18 80

· Tel and fax OMCT + 41 22 809 49 39 / + 41 22 809 49 29

[1] See Observatory Urgent Appeal ZIM 001 / 0119 / OBS 006, published onJanuary 18, 2019.