UN Expert Warns Zimbabwe as Fear Silences Dissenting Voices
UN Special Rapporteur Alexandra Xanthaki has criticized the Zimbabwean government for stifling artistic freedom and suppressing dissenting voices. She warned that administrative burdens and fear are preventing citizens from participating meaningfully in public life.
Why it matters
This highlights ongoing concerns regarding human rights and democratic space in Zimbabwe, impacting the country's international standing and internal social cohesion.
HARARE – Zimbabwe must dismantle restrictions that stifle artistic freedom, fuel self-censorship and exclude citizens from decisions shaping their lives, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Cultural Rights Alexandra Xanthaki has warned.
In a pointed assessment at the end of her official visit to Zimbabwe, Xanthaki said not everyone in the country was free to express their identities, opinions and worldviews, raising concerns about the state of civic space and the barriers facing people who challenge prevailing positions.
“Despite what some officials say, not everyone is free to express their identity, opinions, values and worldviews in Zimbabwe today,” Xanthaki said in her preliminary observations .
She urged authorities to abandon restrictions and administrative burdens that limit artistic expression, arguing that Zimbabwe was failing to fully unlock the creative and transformative power of its diverse cultures.
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