Human rights abuses “still common” in Zimbabwe

Freedom of expression abuses are still common in Zimbabwe despite the formation of a power sharing agreement last year, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). The New York-based organisation revealed that no licenses for independent media outlets have been issued by the ZANU-PF and Movement for Democratic Change unity government since the political deal took effect last February. In other news, the Zimbabwean freelance journalist Anderson Shadreck Manyere was arrested for the third time this year on Monday (1 March), the Committee to Protect Journalists revealed. He was taken into custody outside a courthouse in Harare after he filmed the arrival of several men accused of attempting to overthrow the government. In a letter to the Guardian, Tom Porteous, London director of HRW, cited this case as proof that easing European Union sanctions in the South African country would merely increase repression.