Back to Index

Overview of the Human Rights Defenders situation in Zimbabwe since January 2002
Arnold Tsunga, Chairman, ZIMRIGHTS and Executive Director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
March 5-6, 2004

Download this document
- Word 97 version (85KB)
- Acrobat PDF version (70KB)
If you do not have the free Acrobat reader on your computer, download it from the Adobe website by clicking here.

Read Arnold Tsunga's report on FIDH
Read the FIDH resolutions on Zimbabwe

Introduction
This paper seeks to give a very general overview of the situation of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) in Zimbabwe and the general environment in which they are working. An attempt will be made to give both a sufficiently factual and analytical picture of the political, socio-economic and legislative environment prevailing and impacting on the work of HRDs. The whole paper will also be placed in the context of international relations and an effort will be made to explain how the international environment interrelates with and influences local processes and the work of HRDs. It will be made evident in the paper that HRDs are vital in a country where the human rights record is declining. It will also be made clear that undemocratic governments also tend to adversely react to the work of HRDs since they dislike being scrutinized. The Zimbabwean government is no exception. The various methods that the government uses to cause discomfort to HRDs including adverse propaganda will be referred to in passing. Finally the reaction of civil society to the harassment of HRDs will be looked at and suggestions made on how this process can be further strengthened.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP