Human rights group condemns latest abduction of activist

By Tatenda Dewa | Harare Bureau |

Heal Zimbabwe, a local non-profit organisation promoting reconciliation and peaceful co-existence, has condemned the recent abduction and torture by suspected security agents of Silvanos Mudzvova, a human rights activist.

Mudzvova, a senior member of the #Tajamuka outfit that has been organising citizen demonstrations against President Robert Mugabe’s government, was taken away from his home in Crowborough on late Monday.

He was forced into a waiting car, blindfolded and driven away to a peri-urban farm where he was tortured and left for dead.

Currently, he is admitted at a private hospital in Harare after sustaining serious injuries.

“Heal Zimbabwe is greatly worried by the increase in the number of abductions,” said the organisation.

Last month, Gift Ostallos Siziba, an activist working as the public relations officer at Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ), was reportedly abducted by suspected plain clothes service me during a march for electoral reforms.

In the early hours of 27 August, Kerina Gweshe Dewah, the MDC-T Harare provincial vice chairperson, was also abducted by 18 unknown armed men from her Glen View home and resurfaced at a police station.

She was charged with public violence and thrown into remand prison till she got bail last Friday.

“Heal Zimbabwe notes that the continued use of abductions and torture as a tool to punish and instill fear in citizens to intimidate them from peacefully demonstrating and petitioning government is regrettable.

“Government should respect the right to life, assembly and association instead of subjecting people to torture. In addition, the government should look for amicable means of addressing concerns being raised by protestors,” said Heal Zimbabwe in a statement.

Itai Dzamara, a journalist turned activist, was in March 2015 snatched away from his home area by suspected security officers and his fate remains unknown. Nehanda Radio