By Mabvuto Banda
[dropcap style=”square”]Z[/dropcap]imbabwean authorities must launch a prompt and effective investigation into the army’s killing of three protesters and injury of scores others following post elections violence, Amnesty International said on Thursday.
The vote combined presidential, parliamentary and local government elections but delays in announcing the results by Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) resulted into opposition protests.
“It is unfortunate that this election has descended into bloodshed, which could have been avoided if security forces had exercised restraint against protesters,” said Colm Ó Cuanacháin, Amnesty International’s Acting Secretary General.
Demonstrators were calling for the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission to expedite the release of the presidential election results after voting on 30 July.
The post-election violence earlier Wednesday follows the country’s elections on 30 July 2018.
“The army’s conduct should be promptly investigated, with those responsible brought to justice,” reads the statement in part.
Police confirmed that three people have been killed after soldiers fired live ammunition on fleeing people following post-election protests in Harare, with some of the injured and dead being shot from the back.
The army also ordered journalists covering riotous demonstrations to switch off their video recording equipment and cameras.
“The loss of life for people protesting for the release of the election results was totally unnecessary. They wanted to see how they had voted and Zimbabwean authorities had a duty to facilitate this in a peaceful manner, without deploying the army to the streets,” said Colm Ó Cuanacháin.
“Media freedom must also be guaranteed and respected in this prevailing post-election environment. Journalists should not be intimidated for doing their work.”
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