Noreen Welch - Zimbabwean Journalist
29 Min ·
ZADHR Press release:
Hundreds shot, tens estimated dead in rampant rights violations across Zimbabwe
15 January 2019, 2300 Hrs
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) continues to receive disturbing reports of gross human rights violations across Zimbabwe.
ZADHR has attended to a total of one hundred and seven patients by 1600 hrs of the 15th of January 2019. The injuries ranged from extensive deglouving wounds secondary to gunshot wounds, gunshot wounds in the head, penetrating abdominal trauma and blunt trauma. The majority of the cases were concentrated in Bulawayo, Harare ( particularly Mabvuku and Chitungwiza), Karoi and Kadoma.
ZADHR has also received unconfirmed reports of several deaths across Zimbabwe. One person is alleged to have been run over by a security personnel truck in Harare, and one person who was declared dead on arrival at a medical facility in Kadoma. Reports of other deaths in Epworth and parts of Harare and Chitungwiza are also still being verified. ZADHR estimates the total number of deaths by end of yesterday to be in the region of five to ten casualties. It has been difficult to verify this information due to the internet blackout in Zimbabwe. (ZADHR will release another statement once all tallies from their members are authoritatively collated)
There has also been confirmed reports of retributive torture, beatings and displacements in Mabvuku, Chitungwiza and Kadoma throughout the night of fourteen January 2019. ZADHR is aware of four patients who were scheduled to undergo major surgery for limb saving procedures, penetrating abdominal trauma and neurosurgical procedures in Harare alone. Many patients also had sharpnel and foreign bodies from live ammunition.
ZADHR condemns these gross human rights violations, the use of live ammunition on protesters and any use of torture as a tool to punish protesters. ZADHR also calls upon the authorities to urgently allow those who have been arrested in multiple dragnets cast across the country to receive urgent medical care. Hundreds of injured people have not been attended to as they can’t travel to medical institutions or as they fear arrests or possible victimization.
ZADHR also calls upon all parties to excersice restraint and express their right to protest in non violent and peaceful ways. ZADHR calls for the international community (SADC, AU , UN) to swiftly intervene in the Zimbabwe crisis before the tense situation escalates into a humanitarian disaster.
ZADHR continues to provide urgent medical care to those in need as a result of these disturbances and is reachable via WhatsApp, calls, sms on its hotline 0777604610.
ZADHR INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Quelle: fb Noreen Welch
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