(Last Updated on March 10, 2021 by GERALD NCUBE)
HARARE – Civil Society organisations have continued calls for the government of Zimbabwe to investigate the circumstances surrounding Itai Dzamara’s disappearance six years ago and bring to account those responsible.
In a joint press conference yesterday, marking the sixth anniversary since the disappearance of Dzamara, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Amnesty International, Zimbabwe Devine Destiny and the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said Zimbabweans deserved to know what happened on 9 March 2015.
“We call on the government to mobilise the full extent of its resources to investigate the circumstances surrounding Dzamara’s abduction and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. Dzamara’s family and the generality of Zimbabweans deserve answers on where he is, what happened on 9 March 2015 and who is responsible for his disappearance.
“We remind the Government of Zimbabwe of its constitutional obligations to safeguard the right to life and personal liberty, the right to participate in peaceful political activities, the right to demonstrate and petition peacefully and the citizens’ right to express themselves freely and without repercussion. We call on the government to show its commitment to protecting the constitutionally-guaranteed human rights of all Zimbabweans, regardless of political beliefs or affiliation,” said the rights groups in the statement.
Dzamara, a journalist and human rights activist disappeared on the 15th of March 2015.
It is alleged that he was abducted by unidentified men at a local barbershop in Glenview suburb.
To date, the authorities have shown little appetite to investigate the matter despite loud calls from both the local and international community.