Press Statement Sean McCormack, Spokesman Washington, DC February 3, 2006
Crackdown in Zimbabwe
The United States is concerned by the decision of the Government of Zimbabwe to press charges against the trustees of the Voice of the People, an independent radio station. The government’s action suggests a new intimidation campaign against the press and human rights defenders. The trustees are prominent human rights advocates and include Arnold Tsunga, the director of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights. We are deeply troubled by reports that Tsunga may have received death threats because of his work on behalf of human rights in Zimbabwe. The United States calls upon the Government of Zimbabwe to respect the rights of its citizens to advance the cause of human rights without fear of reprisal from the state and its agents.
We also call on the Government of Zimbabwe to repeal its repressive media laws and to end the harassment of civil society groups and human rights activists. The deterioration of the human rights environment in Zimbabwe was underscored by a December 2005 resolution of the African Union’s Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
2006/143
Released on February 3, 2006
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