CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS READY TO DEMONSTRATE IN SOLIDARITY WITH ZIMBABWEANS ON 10 DECEMBER 2004

8 December 2004; Johannesburg, South Africa

Civil society organisations, Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, and other citizens in the SADC region are gathering in front of the Zimbabwean Embassies or High Commissions in their respective countries on International Human Rights Day to protest against the wave of repression which limits civic space and undermines civil liberties in Zimbabwe.

The demonstrators will be protesting against the draconian legislation which has been adopted by the Zimbabwean government, particularly, the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (AIPPA) and its recent amendment, the Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) and the Miscellaneous Offences Act and the NGO Bill, all of which contravene Zimbabwe’s constitution and its international human rights obligations.

The scheduled solidarity event at the Zimbabwean Embassy in Zambia will be reinforced by the African Social Forum in Lusaka, which will highlight the overall declining human rights situation in Zimbabwe and enable the further participation of African civil society in such solidarity events.

All the peaceful protests throughout the participating SADC countries will take place from 11am to 1pm on the 10th December 2004. For details on how to join the demonstration in your area, please contact Amnesty International South Africa (AISA) on +27 12 320 8155 ([email protected]) or CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation on +27 11 833 5959 ([email protected]).

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