Zimbabweans Take Stock of Abuses During COVID-19 Lockdowns 

HARARE - Human rights groups in Zimbabwe say the government has frequently violated people’s basic rights since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The groups presented their findings at a partially virtual meeting with officials in the capital Thursday. 

At the meeting, rights groups presented a report they call "The Impact of COVID-19 on Socio-Economic Rights.” The report chronicles how Zimbabwe’s government has violated human rights since COVID-19 lockdowns started in March 2020. Calvin Fambirai, executive director of Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, was one of the speakers. He said the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the gap in medical care between the haves and have-nots in the country. “The haves were able to secure that equipment and the bedding facilities in private hospitals whose pricing was far beyond the majority of poor Zimbabweans. The right to health is also another component that relates to torture and inhumane and degrading treatment,” said Fambirai.