Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of reports on the detention and repression of opposition activists, civil society actors and journalists in Zimbabwe.

The UK has been clear that meaningful political and economic reform, and respect for human rights and the rule of law, are prerequisites for Zimbabwe's reengagement with the international community. We are therefore concerned by the unacceptable pattern of arrests of prominent opposition, civil society figures and journalists. I have regularly raised concerns about the treatment of political opponents. I wrote to the Zimbabwean Minister of Home Affairs on the case of Joanna Mamombe, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova on 10 May 2021 urging for them to be treated in line with the constitution.

We continue to prioritise support for human rights, including political and media freedoms, in our programming, supporting civil society to monitor human rights violations and support survivors. The UK Government will continue to speak out, both privately and in public, where we have concerns and we will work alongside the international community to support a better future for all Zimbabweans.