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Onslaught on human rights defenders continues in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
March 25, 2011

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) is greatly apprehensive about the incident that occurred around 17:05 hours on 25 March 2011.

Yvonne Paperndorf, who works in Germany for a German organisation, Bread for the World, was arbitrarily picked up by unidentified men from Pandhari Lodge in Glen Lorne, Harare, where she was residing. She was visiting the country and was participating in a meeting on Human Rights Defenders (HRD)s that ZLHR had organised.

Lawyers from ZLHR, who mounted a search for Paperndorf have failed to locate her. Efforts to find her continue.

ZLHR is extremely concerned about her location and her welfare especially with the occurrence of arbitrary detentions that has been on the rise over the last few weeks and the continued use of torture and other cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and enforced disappearances.

Paperndorf's situation is particularly exacerbated by the hostile attitude that the State actors have displayed towards HRDs from western countries.

Eye witnesses have since alerted ZLHR that when Paperndorf was seized, she was advised that she was being taken away as she was working without a work permit. Eye witnesses also indicated to ZLHR that the unidentified men were travelling in two cars-one white ISUZU truck registration number GIMM-12 and a Toyota Yaris ABD 3719.

ZLHR believes that the ISUZU vehicle identified belongs to the 'Zimbabwe Immigration officials'.

ZLHR is also concerned that when Paperndorf arrived in the country she was arbitrarily detained and interrogated on 24 March 2011. The interrogators seized some information and documents which were in her possession.

Paperndorf was released after she had been interrogated by officials believed to be from the Immigration Department and the dreaded members of the Central Intelligence Organisation that are housed at Harare International Airport.

ZLHR remains concerned about the HRD who is now at risk and exposed to the unwarranted attacks from State actors without protection from the law and/or her legal representatives.

Visit the ZLHR fact sheet

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