ZimRights has issued a statement following the arrest of Zimbabwean journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono and opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume allegedly for speaking against corruption by government officials. We present ZimRights’ twitter thread below.
When ordinary people speak out against corruption, violence & state terrorism, they are being GOOD CITIZENS. They are speaking on behalf of ALL OF US. When the state starts targeting these individuals for SPEAKING OUT, we know its a matter of time before they come after all of us
#STATEMENT: The Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) notes with concern the arrest of Transform Zimbabwe President Jacob Ngarivhume who is the convener for the 31 July Protest and Journalists Hopewell Chin’ono who has been exposing government corruption on social media.
Ngarivhume has been calling on Zimbabweans to exercise their right to demonstrate on 31 July against corruption, poverty and failure by government to address the economic problems in the country that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 induced lockdown. #FreeJacobNgarivhume
ZimRights understands that Ngarivhume is in police custody. Chin’ono’s arrest has been documented in a video circulating on social media in which the police officers instruct him to stop using his mobile phone.
Chin’ono has been complaining about harassment and threats he has been receiving after exposing the Drax International deal that sucked in Ministry of Health and could have led to the dismissal of Health Minister Obediah Moyo.
As a grassroots human rights advocacy group, whose members are suffering the effects of corruption, we stand in solidarity with Jacob Ngarivhume and Hopewell Chinon’ono. We reiterate that corruption is a human rights issue.