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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Violence, recrimination and arrests after policeman's death in Glen View - Index of articles
Non-violence,
tolerance and respect for rights must prevail
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
June 03, 2011
Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights (ZLHR) deplores the senseless injury and loss of
life which occurred when two police officers were attacked and one,
Inspector Petros Mutedza, subsequently lost his life in Glen View
on Sunday 29 May 2011.
An avoidable
and unjustifiable death must be mourned and condemned, no matter
who the victim may be, as every human life is precious. ZLHR expresses
its condolences to the bereaved and hopes for a quick recovery of
the second police detail.
There is no
question that any person who is found guilty of such deeds on the
basis of clear and uncompromised evidence, and in an impartial court
of law where the judicial officer is acting without fear or favour,
must face the legal consequences.
ZLHR is extremely
concerned, however, at the subsequent events which have emerged
and are ongoing. Indiscriminate abductions, arrests
and detention, alleged torture and brutality of detainees in police
custody, and denial of their fundamental and constitutionally-protected
rights (such as access
to a lawyer of choice, family, food and urgent medical attention)
have been documented since the time of the initial outbreak of violence.
In addition,
the intimidating language, threats and hostility emerging from members
of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and the executive, and the
emotional and inciting coverage of such statements and conjecture
around this tragedy by the state-controlled print and electronic
media continue to add fuel to the fire and can easily further inflame
an already volatile situation and contribute to a further breakdown
of the rule of law.
The ZRP is mandated
in terms of the law to investigate all crimes for possible prosecution.
ZLHR fully supports law enforcement agents acting in compliance
with the law and their constitutional obligations to undertake this
mandate professionally.
The ZRP must,
however, at all times respect the Constitution
and other laws of Zimbabwe and ensure that the rights of detainees
and accused persons are respected in order to ensure adherence to
the presumption of innocence and the right of all persons to a fair
trial.
Further, the
ZRP must ensure that it investigates all crimes swiftly and without
fear or favour. Where known perpetrators of extra-judicial executions
and other grave violations continue
to remain beyond the reach of the law whilst other matters are swiftly
investigated and acted upon, there will always be a reasonable perception
of bias and loss of confidence in law enforcement, prosecutorial
and judicial authorities to deliver justice equally to all.
The culture
of violence and subsequent impunity has been a scourge in our society
throughout history and cannot be allowed to continue if we wish
to move forward towards peace, development and social and economic
upliftment of all in our society.
ZLHR therefore
strongly urges:
All citizens
across the political divide and within state institutions to exercise
and exhibit restraint, tolerance and non-violence to prevent further
inflammation of an already volatile situation. The ZRP to ensure
that there is full compliance with the law in the investigation
of this crime, including respect for the constitutional rights of
accused persons.
The ZRP to ensure that there is full compliance with the law in
the investigation of this crime, including respect for the constitutional
rights of accused persons.
- The ZRP and
the Attorney General's office to quickly and impartially
investigate and prosecute respectively - and be seen to
investigate and prosecute - all cases of grave human rights violations,
including previous extra-judicial executions across the political
divide, without fear or favour in order to reassure the public
that one human life is not more important than another and to
rebuild confidence in the police and prosecutorial authority as
protecting and respecting the rights of all people equally.
- The state-controlled
print and electronic media to desist from its partisan, inflammatory
and inciting reportage and to ensure that all its media practitioners
adhere to ethical and fair reporting standards so that the power
of the media is not abused to perpetuate misconceptions and conjecture
not based on solid evidence, and cause or contribute to further
violations.
The leadership
of all political parties in the country, state institutions, and
the civil society to denounce violence as a means of resolving disputes
and to cooperate fully in and with the peace committees established
by the Joint Monitoring and Implementation Committee (JOMIC) in
efforts to deliver our nation from this continuing senseless violence
and impunity.
Visit the ZLHR
fact
sheet
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