EU urges government to respect human rights

The European Union (EU) has submitted a draft resolution to the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) urging Zimbabwe to comply with its human rights obligations.

Wednesday’s submission, by Spain as head of the EU, expressed concern over government human rights violations and "the adverse impact of the actions by the government of Zimbabwe on the security of its citizens".

The submission referred to "continuing violations of human rights", the deaths of "at least 100" opposition Movement for Democratic Change supporters since June 2000 and the actions of "youth militia" and "war veterans".

The EU said it was concerned about disappearances, executions, kidnapping, torture, beatings and detentions without trial of members of the media, the opposition and human rights groups.

Its submission referred to attacks on the judiciary and the rule of law, and cases of sexual and other forms of violence against women. It also cited the recent Public Order and Security Act and the Access to Information Act as violations of freedoms of expression, opinion, association and assembly.

The EU urged the government of Zimbabwe to uphold its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention Against Torture, and other human rights treaties to which it is a party, including the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.

It also asked for an investigation into allegations of politically-motivated killings, violence and harassment and to create conditions for the "proper exercise of human rights".

The resolution asked for UN special rapporteurs on torture, the independence of judges and lawyers, freedom of expression, extra-judicial executions and violence against women to carry out missions to investigate the allegations and report to the Commission at its 59th session.

The EU urged the international community to strengthen support for human rights non-governmental organisations in the country.

UNHCR spokesperson Veronique Taveau said that once the resolution was finalised and voted on it would be "a moral contract" on Zimbabwe.

The EU rejected the outcome of the March presidential election in Zimbabwe after a stand-off over foreign election observers. The EU team left the country even before the election.