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Zimbabwean Sues Government to End Lockdown Over Alleged Abuse

Columbus Mavhunga

   HARARE, ZIMABABWE - Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights is petitioning
   the High Court to have the coronavirus lockdown overturned after police
   allegedly unleashed a dog on a woman for violating a curfew.

   Court papers submitted by the lawyers group say police and army
   officers assaulted Lucia Masvondo, 26, while she was cooking food in
   her yard.

   The lawsuit argues the lockdown regulations violate Zimbabwe's
   constitution and should be annulled.

   Kumbirai Mafunda of the lawyers group said Masvondo's case was one of a
   growing number of alleged abuses by security forces during the
   lockdown.

   "She suffered some wounds after some state agencies set a dog upon her
   when she was preparing a meal outside her home in Karoi," Mafunda said.
   "In Bulawayo, our lawyers are intervening in a case where someone was
   reportedly assaulted by the police and died."

   Zimbabwe police refused any immediate comment on the Masvondo case but
   acknowledged they were investigating it.

   Scores of cases

   Zimbabwe rights groups said they have recorded more than 100 cases of
   security forces abusing civilians -- including detentions of
   journalists -- since the lockdown began two weeks ago.

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