Previous 36 / 56 Next

R AC African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Human Rights our Collective Responsibility 160. The Complainant maintains that t e Victim was not afforded a fair hearing and that the sentence imposediby the 4th Parliament of Zimbabwe was grossly disproportionate to the offence committed. It contends that imposing a term of 12 months imprisonment with hard labour for an incident that could arguably be labelled a petty squabble between political rivals, is clearly unbalanced. 161. Further, the Complainant submits that the Respondent State's assertion that the actions of Parliamen~ are beyond reproach because they conf~rm~d t~ th~ constit~ti?na~ dispe+sation prev.ailing ~n.Zimbabwe at the time IS misguided, as It IS trite law that dome VISIOnscannot be invoked to justify non-compliance with treaty 0 ati Alleged violation of Article 4, 5, 6 of the Mri~:l1! Charf ' 162.TheComplairu:nt contendsthat'~_R;:~~~dent investigate all allegations of crim s co~~t~edJ~ithin its };)ry,which it has failed to do in this case aDd .the £ew'fr!:lJ~fimces it ha one so, by its own admission, there bee J prd~~c:utions conducted by the Prosecutor General. , 163. The Complai1}Cl,1J:t;;:!)~otes State refers to the withdrawal of ,:<:charges''''as a for Victim's denial of legal representation. ,]J submits that in I Comment 32, the United Nations Human Rights ','~<?mmittee noted tli !.} "the right to communicate with counsel requires-that the accused, is granted prompt access to counsel."46 Thusj:1S~~plainant,?~~es tha~ ~~efactjthat no. charges were filed does not mean t ,'. e ComplalUct(l,t:snglits were not VIOlated. '" .r. " :.:,·"""t,,, I Alleged violati ,;,~o",: ti~,I~?%9;(;11,13, 14 and 18 of the African Charter 164~ol!~~~~:::~:n::h:~~:ll~~t:~;;e~~~ ::~~~;:7p::~~ the socio-economic life of the peopf of Chimanimani. Therefore the Complainant contends that the Resporklent cannot hide behind historical injustices to avoid its responsibilities to [the Victim. ~~, ~\l!J\AN A"'-'D~' ~<' v~'C.IARIAr I The Commission's analysis on the Merits ~o-o~. ~ <<;<' \. I· ,1 ~ ./". ll'_p \ I 8J~~ ~8 ' {.~ ~~ ~~~,Q !~ , Z """.., \. 'G ~ "~~ \ "'~ \, 46 UN Human 1>': '-': Rights Committee (HRC), General comm~nt no. 32, Article 14, Right to equall courts and tribunals and to fair trial, 23 August 2007, CCPRlC/GC/32. f>,U-ul>- 0 fG.<:)'<1 ~.s' ,!j c- ,sto", A>=RICl>-'''''' rv..:§ /'" (. ",,« /' Ii tl \)~./ -"'-, .. -,",,' Page 35 of 55 C/) l IS i 001}

Select target paragraph3

● ● ●

Communication 298/05 - Roy Bennett (Represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights) v. Zimbabwe

ACHPR Decision

Preview

Type of Document

Decision

Keywords

Cruel and Degrading Treatment
Damages and Compensation
Equality
Equality Before the Law
Freedom from Discrimination
Freedom of Association
Freedom of Expression / Digital Rights
Freedom of Opinion
Investigation
Land Expropriation
Land Rights
Participation in Government
Personal Liberty
Protection of Family and Vulnerable Groups
Right to Fair Trial
Right to Property
Torture and Ill Treatment

Case Head Notes: During a parliamentary debate, the Victim was verbally assaulted by the Minister of Justice and became so upset that he pushed the Minister of Justice to the ground. A parliamentary committee was established to try the Victim for contempt of Parliament, and the Victim was found guilty of contempt and sentenced to 12 months in prison with hard labour. The Complainant states that the trial was a continuation of a targeted campaign against the Victim, in which attacks were made on his farm and against him, his wife, and the workers on his farm. Additionally, the Complainant states that the Victim had his land confiscated by the Respondent State. The Commission found a violation of Article 2, stating that even though the perpetrators, who invaded the Victim's land, were not acting in pursuance of the government's policy, the fact that their actions were linked to the President's speech, where he singled out the victim for his political views, established a sufficient link between the actions of the Respondent State's discriminatory stance against the Victim's political views, and the harm suffered by the Victim, to constitute a violation of Article 2. The Commission found violations of Articles 3 and 5 because the Respondent State failed to investigate and try the perpetrators who assaulted the Victim and his wife. The Commission found a violation of Article 6 stating that detaining the Victim without allowing him access to a legal representative of his choice violated Article 6. The Commission found a violation of Article 7 stating that, in the Parliamentary hearing, the Chairperson exercised the dual function of being the Complainant and the adjudicator, contravening the appropriate safeguards of natural justice that should have been followed. The Commission found violations of Articles 10, 11 and 13, stating that the President's speech, which targeted the Victim because of his political association and opinion, motivated the attacks against the Victim, and therefore contravened his right to freedom of expression, association and participation in government. The Commission found a violation of Article 14 stating that, while the Respondent State may legitimately expropriate land in support of public interest, a key requirement is that there must be appropriate and timely compensation and, in the present case, the delay in compensation, and the manner in which the land was confiscated, violated Article 14. The Commission found a violation of Article 18 because the Respondent State failed to investigate and prosecute the perpetrators of the attack against the victim and his family, and further because it was the speech of the President that incited the attacks against the Victim. The Commission found that the Respondent State's failure to protect the Victim's Charter rights also means that Article 1 was violated. The Commission requested the Respondent State to pay fair and adequate compensation to the victim for the acquisition of his property, and the loss of his equipment and livestock, in accordance with the principles guiding expropriation of private property under international law. The Commission also requested the Respondent State to independently investigate and punish all non-State actors responsible for the attacks against the Victim and his family and to report back to the Commission on the measures taken to implement the recommendations.

Country

Zimbabwe

Outcome: Decided on Merits

Year Decided: Mar 9, 2022

Rights Alleged to be Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 7: Right to Fair Trial
ACHPR 7.1: Right to be Heard
ACHPR 1: General Obligations
ACHPR 10: Right to Freedom of Association
ACHPR 11: Right to Freedom of Assembly
ACHPR 13: Right to Participate in Government
ACHPR 14: Right to Property
ACHPR 18: Protection of the Family and Vulnerable Groups
ACHPR 2: Freedom from Discrimination
ACHPR 26 : Duty to Guarantee Independence of Courts
ACHPR 3: Right to Equality before the Law and Equal Protection of the Law
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
ACHPR 6 : Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest
ACHPR 7.1.a: Right to Sue for Remedy before a Competent Tribunal

Rights Violated (ACHPR Provisions)

ACHPR 7: Right to Fair Trial
ACHPR 1: General Obligations
ACHPR 10: Right to Freedom of Association
ACHPR 10.1: Freedom of association
ACHPR 11: Right to Freedom of Assembly
ACHPR 13: Right to Participate in Government
ACHPR 13.1: Right to participate freely in government
ACHPR 14: Right to Property
ACHPR 18: Protection of the Family and Vulnerable Groups
ACHPR 2: Freedom from Discrimination
ACHPR 3: Right to Equality before the Law and Equal Protection of the Law
ACHPR 5: Cruel Inhuman and Degrading Treatment
ACHPR 6 : Right to Personal Liberty and Protection from Arbitrary Arrest

Duration of Procedure

Feb 3, 2005 ~ Mar 9, 2022

Country Geolocation

Latitude: -19.015438

Longitude: 29.154857

Country Geolocation (linked ACHPR Decision): Zimbabwe

Primary Documents

Roy Bennett (Represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights) v Zimbabwe.pdf
English
ML TOC
Download View

African Human Rights CLA 2.0

Select target paragraph3

Communication 298/05 - Roy Bennett (Represented by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights) v. Zimbabwe

Primary Documents

Notifications