Zimbabwe is a nation with a long and reprehensible history of gross human rights violations
abetted by a political culture of impunity. The use of torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment appear as a central element of State agents’ treatment of citizens perceived as being in
opposition to the ruling ZANU PF party and those attempting to exercise their fundamental
freedoms, that is the freedom to demonstrate and petition, freedom of association, assembly
and expression. The year 2016 witnessed a new wave of protesters following citizens’
engagement in social movements such as #Tajamuka/Sesijikile, #ThisFlag among others. As
the protests against deteriorating economic conditions gained momentum, State agents
increasingly resorted to the use of brute force, torture, abductions and arbitrary arrests as a
means of intimidating, investigating and obtaining information or confessions from real or
perceived offenders as well as to instill fear within the citizenry.
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