The European Union (EU) says it is concerned about laws that Zimbabwe is crafting that will further restrict freedom of expression.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government is pushing for
the amendment of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO), which civil society
organisations argue is aimed at restricting their operations.
The government is also considering a new law to punish
“unpatriotic” Zimbabweans.
Timo Olkkonen, the EU head of delegation in Zimbabwe, told
Europe Day celebrations in Harare on Friday that the proposed PVO Act
amendments were worrying.
“The consequences of the PVO Bill on the operational space
of the civil society is of particular acute concern,” Olkkonen.
“We also fail to see the need for a Patriotic Act to
restrict freedom of speech.”
The government claims the PVO Act is being amended to stem
terrorism financing while the proposed Patriotic Act is meant to stop
Zimbabweans from lobbying for sanctions against the country.
Olkkonen said the EU was also following closely Zimbabwe’s
preparations for next year’s elections.
“Another issue we are following closely, and also
supporting through our development cooperation, are the preparations for the
2023 general elections,” he said.
“There will be a follow up to the EU Electoral Observation
Mission from 2018 to assess the status of the recommendations made in 2018.
“Recommendations of electoral observation missions together
with those of the Motlantle Commission provide a useful tool in looking at
where we are in terms of political reforms in Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa has been lobbying for improved relations between
the EU and Zimbabwe since coming into power after the 2017 coup, but he has
been accused of failing to deliver on promises of swift political and economic
reforms.
The EU has been loosening its targeted sanctions against
Zimbabwe, but continues to speak against human rights violations and lack of
political reforms. Standard
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