Lord Hain calls to extend sanctions in Zimbabwe

Former British Cabinet Minister and leading anti-apartheid campaigner Peter Hain today demanded the extending of sanctions against key Zimbabwe Ministers and security chiefs over what he labelled “escalating human rights violations in Zimbabwe”.

Speaking in the British Parliament, Lord Hain said:

“In Zimbabwe, three women have recently been abducted and tortured: opposition MP and former Canon Collins Scholar Joana Mamombe, together with Netsai Marova and Cecillia Chimbiri.  On July 20 highly respected journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested and denied bail for supporting an anti-corruption protest and faces 10 years in jail. Opposition leader Jacob Ngarivhume was arrested and youth leader Takunda Madzana abducted and tortured by state security agents on July 26.  As well as rampant corruption, there is a pattern of ongoing human rights violations under cover of the Covid-19 crackdown. Can the Government update its sanctions to cover more Zimbabwe Ministers and security chiefs?”