A/HRC/43/51/Add.3 Allegations of the violent repression of protests and excessive use of force by Zimbabwean security forces and the arrest of a number of human rights defenders, including Mr. Japhet Moyo. 96. JAL 12/07/2019 Case no: ZWE 4/2019 State reply: 17/07/2019 (A) Allegations about the criminalisation and arbitrary detention of six human rights defenders, which appears to be directly motivated by their legitimate and peaceful human rights activities. 97. The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the Government for its detailed response to the communication dated 29 January 2019 and its acknowledgement of receipt of the communication dated 12 July 2019. 98. The Special Rapporteur expresses serious concern over the reported use of serious treason charges to criminalise human rights defenders, as reflected in both communications sent to the Government in the present reporting period. 99. In this context, the Special Rapporteur expresses serious concern about the arrest, arbitrary detention and judicial proceedings against the six human rights defenders whose arrest coincided with their return from a human rights related training abroad. The Special Rapporteur urges the Government to provide a substantive response to these allegations, including information on the legal procedure and grounds invoked for detaining and charging the human rights defenders, and on how these are in compliance with international human rights standards. 100. Furthermore, the Special Rapporteur expresses concern regarding the arrest and charges against Mr. Japhet Moyo, along with the intimidation of Mr. Peter Mutasa, Mr. Okay Machisa and other members of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association. The Special Rapporteur takes note of the Government’s response to his communication dated 29 January 2019, including information on the treason charges against Mr. Moyo, but regrets that it failed to provide specific information on the factual basis for these charges, except for the broad allegation that Mr. Moyo held meetings “for the purpose of overthrowing a constitutionally elected Government of Zimbabwe”. 101. The Special Rapporteur is also seriously concerned about the violent repression of protests in Harare and Bulawayo, especially with regards to the use of live fire causing a number of deaths and injuries. He regrets that the Government’s asserted in its response that the “proportionality and legality in determining the force used by the security forces was a prescribed by the law”. Given the gravity of the allegations, the apparent lack of immediate, impartial, and transparent investigations into the acts of violence, harassment and intimidation carried out by Zimbabwean security forces in the context of the protests is alarming. 18