Harare, January 17,
2019– The U.S. Embassy is concerned about reports of violence in Zimbabwe and
urges all parties to exercise restraint and to make every effort to find a
peaceful solution. We condemn any
disproportionate use of force and call on Zimbabwe’s security forces to respond
to civil unrest professionally and with respect for human life and
constitutional rights. We are also
alarmed by credible reports that security forces are targeting and beating
political activists and labor leaders.
The United States strongly supports freedom of expression,
freedom of association, and peaceful assembly.
People have the constitutional right to protest and express their views
peacefully. We condemn acts of arson
and looting and threats against citizens.
We call on protesters to refrain from violence and threats of violence,
which will only cause further economic hardship.
We are concerned by the Zimbabwean government’s blocking of
Internet services in the country January 15-16 and urge the restoration of
access to social media sites and applications.
We call on the Zimbabwean government to respect its constitutional and
international legal obligations regarding the right to freedom of expression.
0 comments:
Post a Comment