The Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), a human rights watchdog, reports that over 1,000 people experienced violations of their rights to freedom of assembly and association following the March 31st protests against President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The protests were triggered by Blessed Geza, a former Zanu-PF Central Committee member and war veteran. Geza, now on the run, has been using his X page and YouTube channel to mobilise Zimbabweans to protest against Mnangagwa.
Geza accuses Mnangagwa of a litany of issues: corruption, nepotism, tribalism and is demanding his immediate resignation. The war veteran is opposed to the extension of Mnangagwa's term beyond 2028, when his constitutionally mandated two five-year terms will expire.
As a direct consequence of Geza's call to action, over a hundred people participated in the March 31st protest. Police responded with force at Freedom Square in Harare. Despite the initial attempts to disperse them, the protesters regrouped repeatedly.
At one point, protesters barricaded the junction of Rotten Row and Robert Mugabe Roads in the capital, rendering it impassable to motorists. Police responded firing tear gas, ultimately arresting 98 protesters. They are currently detained at Harare Remand Prison after their bail applications were denied.
In its first-quarter report of 2025, the ZPP raised significant concerns about the number of individuals who suffered human rights violations by the State, before, during, and after the 31st March protests, documenting 14 severe assault cases and 98 arrests.
"The Zimbabwe Peace Project recorded 24 violations restricting freedom of assembly and association (affecting 740 people, 270 men and 470 women), 15 violations against freedom of expression (affecting 146 people, 72 men and 74 women), and 14 assaults (affecting 68 citizens, 38 men and 30 women), most of which were directly linked to attempts to suppress the protests," reads the report.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
- 95 March 31st protestors denied bail; magistrate says they will "regroup and reoffend" if released
- March 31 protests: Police fire tear gas at demonstrators, briefly detain journalists in Harare
The ZPP argues that these targeted violations reflect a deliberate state-led strategy to violate constitutionally guaranteed rights, especially the rights to demonstrate, express opinions freely, and participate in peaceful political activities.
"In anticipation of the protests, security forces were deployed to pre-emptively intimidate citizens, arrest activists, and surveil communities, while online spaces were policed to silence dissent. The arrest of 98 Zimbabweans in Harare alone, solely for participating in the March 31st protests, exemplifies the criminalisation of protest," the report continues.
The ZPP further warns that the use of the justice system as a tool of intimidation exerts immense psychological and financial pressure on detainees and their families, and serves as a chilling warning to the broader public, discouraging civic engagement.
"These actions point to an entrenched culture of weaponisation of the judiciary and criminal law to punish human rights defenders. The impact on human rights is a severe dismantling of freedom of expression, eroding public trust in institutions, and deterring peaceful participation in democratic processes.
"Without immediate accountability and structural reforms, Zimbabwe risks institutionalizing a state of fear where dissent is punished, justice is deferred, and democratic freedoms are rendered meaningless," reads part of the report.
