Zimbabwe: Ten years without answers since journalist and activist Itai Dzamara’s enforced disappearance

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Ahead of the 10-year anniversary of the enforced disappearance of Zimbabwean journalist and pro-democracy activist Itai Peace Dzamara, Amnesty International calls on authorities to urgently establish an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into his whereabouts. 

On the morning of 9 March 2015, five men abducted Dzamara from a barber shop in the capital Harare’s Glen View suburb. The men accused him of stealing cattle before handcuffing him and driving off with him in a white truck with concealed number plates. All attempts by relatives and human rights lawyers to establish his whereabouts have been unsuccessful.

“Itai Dzamara’s family and loved ones have endured ten years without answers. The authorities have ignored calls for information and investigation, including from his wife Sheffra Dzamara,” said Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa. “Zimbabwean authorities must urgently carry out an effective investigation into what happened to Itai Dzamara and end their official silence on his case.” 

Dzamara was a leader of the Occupy Africa Unity Square, a pro-democracy protest group. Two days before his enforced disappearance, Dzamara addressed an opposition rally where he called for mass action against Zimbabwe’s deteriorating economic conditions. 

“Itai Dzamara’s family and loved ones have endured ten years without answers. The authorities have ignored calls for information and investigation, including from his wife Sheffra Dzamara,” Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

Immediately after Dzamara’s abduction, his wife filed a missing person report at Glen Norah Police Station in Harare. The next day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights approached the High Court to try to force the state to expend all available resources to investigate and locate Dzamara. 

The High Court of Zimbabwe ordered police and state security agents to search for Dzamara and report on their progress every two weeks. However, according to his lawyer, none of the security services have fully complied with the order. Police have reportedly not given any substantial information on the details of their supposed investigation when they submitted reports to the court, and have stopped submitting reports. 

“Authorities have yet to conduct any credible inquiry into Itai Dzamara’s fate or whereabouts,” said Tigere Chagutah. “It is time for the authorities to stop pretending and get serious about finding Itai Dzamara and holding accountable whoever is suspected of responsibility for his enforced disappearance.” 

A pattern of brutal repression

Dzamara’s enforced disappearance followed months of persecution after he submitted a petition calling on Zimbabwe’s then-President, Robert Mugabe, to resign and pave the way for elections. 

In November 2014, anti-riot police beat Dzamara until he lost consciousness while he was engaging in a peaceful protest in Harare. In hospital, Dzamara collapsed and had to be resuscitated and treated in the intensive care unit. 

“It is time for the authorities to stop pretending and get serious about finding Itai Dzamara.” Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

One month later, unknown men abducted Dzamara and two other activists, allegedly took them to an office of the ruling ZANU-PF party and severely beat them with metal rods before bringing them to a police station. The police let the abductors go free without charge. Dzamara and the two activists required hospitalization for injuries inflicted during the abduction. 

“Itai Dzamara’s enforced disappearance was the culmination of a pattern of brutal repression of his peaceful activism,” said Tigere Chagutah. 

Complete impunity

Since Dzamara’s enforced disappearance, many other activists and human rights defenders in Zimbabwe have suffered harassment, intimidation or torture. In the last two years alone, at least ten opposition activists have been abducted. 

Six people were abducted after disputed elections in 2023, including opposition activist and church leader Tapfumaneyi Masaya whose body was later found dumped on a farm. Others were allegedly tortured, some reported being injected with an unknown substance. 

“With the perpetrators of Itai Dzamara’s enforced disappearance enjoying complete impunity, it should be no surprise that similar human rights violations continue in Zimbabwe.” Tigere Chagutah, Amnesty International Regional Director for East and Southern Africa

Last year, amid a massive crackdown on dissent before a regional summit held in Harare, security agents pulled four activists off a plane and reportedly tortured them for up to eight hours. 

Authorities have not conducted investigations into any of these cases. 

“With the perpetrators of Itai Dzamara’s enforced disappearance enjoying complete impunity, it should be no surprise that similar human rights violations continue in Zimbabwe,” said Tigere Chagutah. “Zimbabwe’s government must protect human rights defenders, activists and opposition political parties to ensure they are able to do their work.” 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Amnesty International.

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