Zimbabwe: COVID-19 must not be used to stifle freedoms, says UN rights office

24 July 2020

Human Rights UN

The coronavirus pandemic should not be used as an excuse to clamp down on fundamental freedoms, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) reminded authorities in Zimbabwe on Friday.

OHCHR spokesperson Liz Throssell, speaking to journalists in Geneva, expressed concern over allegations suggesting that Zimbabwean authorities may be using the COVID-19 crisis as a pretext to stifle freedom of expression and peaceful assembly on the streets.

zimbabwe /zim'bɑ:bwei; -wi/津巴布韦

stifle v. /ˈstaɪfl/  1.[ VN ] to prevent sth from happening; to prevent a feeling from being expressed 压制；扼杀；阻止；抑制 •They hope the new rules will not stifle creativity. 他们希望新规则不会压制创意。2. to feel unable to breathe, or to make sb unable to breathe, because it is too hot and/or there is no fresh air （使）窒息，无法自如地呼吸，感觉窒闷

clamp down ：To clamp down on people or activities means to take strong official action to stop or control them. 取缔; 严加限制

UN human rights office (OHCHR) :联合国人权办公室

pretext n. /ˈpriːtekst/  ~ (for sth/for doing sth)~ (to do sth) a false reason that you give for doing sth, usually sth bad, in order to hide the real reason; an excuse 借口；托词 • He left the party early on the pretext of having work to do. 他借口有事要处理，早早离开了聚会

Targeting health workers

 #COVID19 should not be used to clamp down on fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression & right to peaceful assembly. We remind #Zimbabwe that any lockdown measures & restrictions should be necessary, proportionate, time-limited. Learn more: https://t.co/WvwmYmZSfc pic.twitter.com/eqeo2iZVNc     — UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) July 24, 2020

proportionate adj. /prəˈpɔːʃənət/  ~ (to sth) ( formal ) increasing or decreasing in size, amount or degree according to changes in sth else 成比例的；相应的；相称的

Amid a deteriorating economy, she said it was clear that COVID-19 has added greatly to the challenges Zimbabwe faces, and placed a further burden on an already struggling health sector.

deteriorate v.   /dɪˈtɪəriəreɪt/  ~ (into sth) to become worse 变坏；恶化；退化 • Her health deteriorated rapidly, and she died shortly afterwards. 她的健康状况急剧恶化，不久便去世了。·a deteriorating economy：恶化的经济

She said the human rights office was concerned over reports of “police using force to disperse and arrest nurses and health workers”, for breaching lockdown restrictions while simply “trying to protest for better salaries and conditions of work”.

disperse v. /dɪˈspɜːs/  1.to move apart and go away in different directions; to make sb/sth do this （使）分散，散开；疏散；驱散 •The fog began to disperse. 雾开始散了。 •The crowd dispersed quickly. 人群很快便散开了。2.to spread or to make sth spread over a wide area 散布；散发；传播

breach /briːtʃ/ 1.动词违反• The newspaper breached the code of conduct on privacy. 这家报纸违反了隐私保护行为准则。2.名词违反•  The congressman was accused of a breach of secrecy rules. 这个国会议员被指控违反保密条例。3. (关系中的) 裂痕； 使破开；攻破 (某人的防范)；攻破

According to OHCHR, on Tuesday, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, highlighted an increase of 600 COVID-19 cases in a week – to a total of 1,713 – and announced a series of measures that he said were necessary to curb the spread of the disease.

Zimbabwean /zɪmˈbɑːbwiən/ 津巴布韦人，津巴布韦的；

These include a dusk to dawn curfew and the curtailment and suspension of freedoms that, as he put it, Zimbabweans “have always enjoyed”.

dusk to dawn：黄昏到黎明 curfew：以前提到过，宵禁

curtailment /kɜːˈteɪlmənt/ The curtailment of something is the act of reducing or limiting it. 缩减; 限制 •  ...the curtailment of presidential power.  ...对总统权力的限制。

suspension  /səˈspenʃn/ n. 悬浮；暂停；停职

“While recognizing the Government’s efforts to contain the pandemic”, the OHCHR spokesperson said “it is important to remind the authorities that any lockdown measures and restrictions should be necessary, proportionate and time-limited, and enforced humanely without resorting to unnecessary or excessive force”.

resort /rɪˈzɔːt/ 1.不得不求助•  His punishing work schedule had made him resort to drugs. 他那累人的工作日程已经使他不得不求助于毒品了。2.诉诸 • Congress has a responsibility to ensure that all peaceful options are exhausted before resort to war. 国会有责任确保在所有和平的手段用尽之后再诉诸武力。3. 作为最后手段 •  Nuclear weapons should be used only as a last resort. 核武器应该只被用作最后手段。4. (度假) 胜地

e·cessive adj.   /ɪkˈsesɪv/  greater than what seems reasonable or appropriate 过分的；过度的 excessive force：过度使用暴力

Pattern in intimidation

A pattern of intimidation became clear surrounding events in May when three female members of the main opposition party, were arbitrarily arrested and detained for taking part in a protest.  

intimidation /ɪnˌtɪmɪˈdeɪʃn/ 恐吓，威胁

arbitrarily /ˌɑːbɪˈtrerəli; ˈɑːbɪtrəli/ adv. 武断地；反复无常地；专横地

Joana Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova, alleged that after State security officials abducted them from a police station, they were tortured and sexually assaulted.  

abduct v. /æbˈdʌkt/  to take sb away illegally, especially using force  诱拐；劫持；绑架

“The women were then formally arrested in June, charged with participating in the protests and faking their abduction”, said Ms. Throssell, adding that they had been recently released on bail.

Exercising ‘recognized human rights’

Peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights -- OHCHR spokesperson

Among the latest incidents, investigative journalist Hopewell Chin’ono was arrested on 20 July, and charged with inciting public violence.

incite /ɪnˈsaɪt/ V-T If someone incites people to behave in a violent or illegal way, they encourage people to behave in that way, usually by making them excited or angry. 煽动

This came after he tweeted support for nationwide protests against Government corruption and worsening economic conditions, said OHCHR.

Jacob Ngarivhume, an opposition leader who has been calling for the protests on 31 July, was also detained and similarly charged. 

“Merely calling for a peaceful protest or participating in a peaceful protest are an exercise of recognized human rights”, stressed Ms. Throssell.

Finding answers

The UN rights official maintained that OHCHR encourages the Government to “engage with civil society and other stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to grievances while ensuring that people’s rights and freedoms are protected in accordance with Zimbabwe’s human rights obligations”.

grievance /ˈɡriːvəns/ N-VAR If you have a grievance about something that has happened or been done, you believe that it was unfair. 委屈; 不满

in accordance with：依照，与···一致

In conclusion, she said the State had an obligation to “guarantee economic, social and cultural rights” of Zimbabweans. 

原文链接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/07/1069011