A supporter of Zimbabwe's ruling Zanu PF party holds up an election campaign poster at a rally where President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks.Photo: Jekesai Nikizana/Getty Images
A Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released on Thursday criticized the Southern African region for failing to protect the rights of its citizens and for failing to hold free and fair elections.
The 734-page report describes a vicious and deadly attack in which several parliamentarians, political activists, and human rights defenders were kidnapped, tortured, and later killed for criticizing their country's incumbent government. .
Speaking at the World Report 2024 launch in Johannesburg on Thursday, HRW Africa Advocacy Director Alan Ghali urged world leaders to address the escalating abductions, arbitrary detentions, torture and killings of dissidents. called for action to be taken.
“The lack of tolerance for political plurality and freedom of expression and association shows that human rights guarantees for the people are in decline,” he said.
The report, now in its 34th year, reviews human rights practices around the world. This year, we focused specifically on elections and their impact on the global human rights environment.
As Africa prepares to hold its 18th election this year, HRW called on the continent's leaders to protect the rights of their citizens by allowing them to exercise their right to vote.
The report urges the South African government, which is due to hold general elections later this year, to ensure accountability for the disparities that continue to exacerbate anti-immigrant sentiment and xenophobia. called for an investigation into all reported abuses.
“The government's silence and inaction on anti-immigrant hate speech, including from public officials, obstruction of foreign nationals' access to health care, and raids and closures of foreign-owned businesses undermines South Africa's Constitution and the international community.”Human Rights Obligations “There are,” Human Rights Watch said.
The report names South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Angola, Zambia, Malawi and Eswatini as countries of grave concern.
In the report's foreword, Director-General Tirana Hassan said, “2023 will not only be a year of human rights repression and wartime atrocities, but also the brutality of selective governments and the rights of people who are not party to the agreement.'' “It was also a year that resulted in transactional diplomacy with significant costs.” ”
In 2023, Africa held eight general elections and seven legislative elections, most of which reportedly fell below regional and international standards required for governing elections.
This is despite the fact that most countries in the region have constitutional commitments to protect human rights.
Report reveals that in Zimbabwe, assailants believed to be linked to the state police operations team targeted and killed political activists opposed to President Emmerson Mnangagwa's ruling Zanu PF party during elections. did.
Political parties and movements remain prohibited in the Kingdom of Eswatini.
The report notes that during Eswatini's parliamentary elections, Thulani Maseko, leader of the multi-stakeholder forum, a political coalition, was assassinated for calling for democratic reforms.
In Mozambique, the report deplored the actions of authorities when security forces used excessive force against civil society groups and rebel groups participating in mostly peaceful protests in October. This resulted in the deaths of many civilians in Cabo Delgado.
The report shows that Angola continues to tolerate unlawful killings by its security forces and is likely to repeat more than a dozen unlawful killings of political activists and peaceful protesters in 2023, as well as numerous other serious violations. said.
In Zambia, authorities are said to have used security laws to thwart opposition activities, restricting freedom of assembly and association.
