Washington, D.C. – House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA) on Thursday issued the following statement calling for the release of top Zimbabwe political opposition official Tendai Biti, who was jailed on Wednesday as the crisis in Zimbabwe deepens:
“Tendai Biti’s wrongful detention marks an alarming new low in the government’s growing crackdown on opposition supporters. He should be released immediately. The United States is committed to working with Zimbabwe to help turn the page on the brutal Mugabe era. But if wrongful detentions and violence continue, the government will be held accountable.”
NOTE: Ahead of Zimbabwe’s July 30 elections, the House passed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Amendment Act—which the president signed into law yesterday.
United States Senator Chris Coons who is also a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said he is concerned about reports of arbitrary arrests and government-sponsored violence in Zimbabwe.
Coons said any disagreements should be dealt with through fair and open investigations, hearings, and legal processes. He added that he is alarmed that members of the opposition have been detained by state security forces and that the U.S. Senate will hold the government of Zimbabwe responsible for ensuring Mr. Biti and other detainees are not harmed in any way. Said Coons:
I am watching the situation in Zimbabwe very closely, and I am concerned about reports of arbitrary arrests, detentions, and government-sponsored violence. These tactics have no place in a democracy, and the government must ensure they stop immediately. Any disagreements over last month’s election should be dealt with through fair and open investigations, hearings, and legal processes. I am particularly alarmed to hear that members of the MDC Alliance have been detained by government-backed security forces. Reports of the detention of Tendai Biti at the Zambian border are especially unnerving. The U.S. Senate will hold the government of Zimbabwe responsible for ensuring Mr. Biti and other detainees are not harmed in any way. I also call upon the Trump Administration, the U.S. State Department, the governments of Zimbabwe, Zambia and other regional actors to stand against politically motivated arrests and to support and promote the rule of law. The people of Zimbabwe have suffered through such tactics of repression and intimidation for decades. Last month’s election was supposed to offer them something different. It is not too late for the leaders of Zimbabwe to restore the sense of hope and fairness that its people deserve.
