Front Line is deeply concerned following reports that documents carried by human rights lawyer Dzimbabwe Chimbga were confiscated by security agents at Harare International Airport on 2 May 2008. Dzimbabwe Chimbga works with Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), a non-governmental organisation committed to upholding respect for the rule of law and the unimpeded administration of justice, free and fair elections, the free flow of information and the protection of constitutional rights and freedoms in Zimbabwe.

Further Information

Posted 07/05/2008 On 2 May 2008, Dzimbabwe Chimbga had gone through airport security at Harare International Airport and was on his way to Swaziland for the 42nd Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) when he was stopped at the immigration check-point by security agents who seized nine confidential sets of documents containing information of human rights violations which was to be used by ZLHR in cases against the Government of Zimbabwe. Copies of election reports were also taken. Dzimbabwe Chimbga's details were taken down and he was told by the security agents that they would “deal with him when he returns to Zimbabwe”. He is currently still in Swaziland attending the Session of the African Commission.

Front Line believes that Dzimbabwe Chimbga has been targeted because of his legitimate work as a human rights defender, in particular his work to defend victims of human rights violations in Zimbabwe. Front Line is concerned for the physical and psychological integrity of Dzimbabwe Chimbga and of all members of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.

for more information, please see http://www.zlhr.org