The Zimbabwean authorities must honor the promise they made to investigate all the leads to establish the whereabouts of disappeared pro-democracy activist and journalist, Itai Dzamara, Amnesty International has said.
In a statement released today the 9th of March, the day Dzamara was abducted three years ago, Amnesty International said President Emmerson Mnangagwa should fulfill the commitment he made at the Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2016.
“As Vice President, Emmerson Mnangagwa personally announced on behalf of the Zimbabwe government that they are actively investigating the disappearance of Itai Dzamara. Yet three months since his inauguration as President, we are all still in the dark,
“Dzamara’s family and the world, need to know that no stone is being left un-turned in the pursuit of justice for Itai,” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International Regional Director for Southern Africa.
He called on the government to scale up efforts to search Dzamara, appealing for justice on those behind his disappearance.
“The government must scale up Itai’s search, those who are found to have been behind his abduction and concealment of his whereabouts must be brought to justice in proceedings that meet fair trial standards. Impunity must not be allowed to thrive,” said Muchena.
Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) said the complete disregard of High Court order compelling the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to search for the missing activist and give regular updates is a huge cause for concern.
“As we mark 3 years since Dzamara’s enforced disappearance, CiZC challenges the Head of State and Government, President Emmerson Mnangagwa to honor his pledge, during the United Nations Universal Periodic Review meeting in Geneva in 2016, that government would actively pursue the search for Dzamara,
“His silence since his inauguration as the country’s President in November 2017 points to total lack of sincerity and indifference to the light of the Dzamara family,
“Despite numerous calls by the Dzamara family for President Mnangagwa to push for the search of Itai, there has not been any positive feedback from the new administration and this indeed is a huge cause for concern,” added CiZC.
According to CiZC, the failure by the Zimbabwean government to lead in the search for Dzamara paints a negative picture on the country’s human rights record.
