24 Mar Statement on the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims

On 24 March, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) joins the global community in commemorating the International Day for the Right to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims, a day that honours victims of gross human rights violations and calls for accountability, justice, and guarantees of non-recurrence. The day highlights the duty of states to investigate abuses, uphold victims’ dignity, and ensure that violations are never repeated.

In Zimbabwe, the day remains deeply significant amid ongoing reports of enforced disappearances, abductions, torture, and extrajudicial killings. Cases such as the unresolved disappearance of Itai Dzamara and the more recent disappearance of Gift Konjana reflect the persistent denial of truth and justice. In 2026 alone, ZPP has documented 79 cases of gross human rights violations, underscoring a shrinking democratic space and continued use of violence to silence dissent. The abduction and killing of Tapfumaneyi Masaya in 2023 further highlights the human cost of impunity.

ZPP notes that the lack of accountability, effective investigations, and reparations has entrenched fear, leaving victims and their families without closure. ZPP emphasises that the right to truth is central to healing, justice, and national reconciliation.

ZPP calls on the Government of Zimbabwe to end impunity through independent investigations, ensure justice and transparency for victims, ratify key international instruments such as the UN Convention Against Torture, and implement security sector reforms aligned with human rights standards. The organisation also stresses the need for a victim-centred, rights-based peacebuilding approach grounded in truth-telling, accountability, and institutional reform.

As Zimbabwe marks this day, ZPP reaffirms that truth, justice, and dignity are fundamental rights and essential pillars for building a peaceful and democratic society.

Read the full statement: