ZIMBABWE’S human rights situation has once again drawn international scrutiny, with new findings from Amnesty International and the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) pointing to a continued pattern of repression.
A latest Amnesty International report, The State of the World’s Human Rights, paints a troubling picture in which arrests, intimidation and legal restrictions are increasingly being used to silence dissent.
The report documents human rights concerns during 2025 in 144 countries, including Zimbabwe.
“Those targeted included prominent journalists, opposition supporters and human rights activists,” the report said.
“Scores of people were arrested after protesting against President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule. A law that accorded the government broad powers to interfere in the work of civil society organisations was introduced.”
It further notes that civic space has continued to shrink, with tighter controls on non-governmental organisations limiting their ability to operate independently and hold authorities accountable.
The report cites the Private Voluntary Organisations Amendment Act, saying its provisions grant the government extensive powers to interfere in the governance and operations of civil society organisations, effectively threatening civic space.
It said opposition politics also remained tense, particularly around the controversial Constitutional Amendment No 3 Bill (CAB3), which seeks to extend Mnangagwa’s term by two years from 2028 to 2030.
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In its March monitoring report, ZPP cited rising levels of violence ahead of Parliament-led public hearings on CAB3.
The organisation recorded 291 violations in March, up from 104 in February.
It said 2 863 women, including 30 persons with disabilities and 2 150 men, including 23 persons with disabilities, were affected by the violations.
“These public hearings were described by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission as being marred by violence and other forms of human rights violations,” ZPP said.
“In this month, citizens’ freedoms were affected by overt political violence, including assaults, abductions, intimidation and harassment, alongside systematic restrictions on freedoms of assembly, association, expression and broader political rights, while socioeconomic rights were also negatively affected.”
ZPP said perpetrators were predominantly linked to ruling party structures, with Zanu PF affiliates accounting for 49,71% of recorded violations, followed by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (13,08%), suspected State security agents (11,34%) and other government agencies (8,43%).
ZPP said among the gravest incidents were cases of abduction and unlawful detention, with four incidents recorded affecting six male victims.
CAB3 awaits debate and a vote in Parliament, where Zanu PF holds a two-thirds majority.
