Responding to news of the death of Tinashe Chitsunge, an opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) activist in Harare on Thursday, allegedly at the hands of ruling ZANU-PF supporters, Khanyo Farisè, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director for Southern Africa, said:
“The fatal attack on Tinashe Chitsunge, a CCC activist, paints a grim picture of the human rights environment in Zimbabwe ahead of general elections scheduled for 23 August 2023. Such callous acts of violence, which have repeatedly marred Zimbabwe’s political landscape, gravely threaten the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
The fatal attack on Tinashe Chitsunge, a CCC activist, paints a grim picture of the human rights environment in Zimbabwe ahead of general elections scheduled for 23 August 2023.
Khanyo Farisè, Deputy Regional Director, Southern Africa
“Authorities must take all necessary steps to prevent acts of politically motivated violence and refrain from issuing inflammatory statements that could incite similar attacks or deter people from freely exercising their human rights and expressing support to political parties of their choice.
“Authorities must ensure a peaceful environment before, during and after the elections by fully respecting, protecting, promoting and fulfilling the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, association and expression.
“We call on Zimbabwe’s authorities to promptly launch a thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigation into Tinashe Chitsunge’s death and ensure that suspected perpetrators are brought to justice. Authorities must ensure access to justice and effective remedies for Tinashe Chitsunge and his family.”
Authorities must ensure access to justice and effective remedies for Tinashe Chitsunge and his family.”
Khanyo Farisè
