The last three years have seen an escalation in government attempts to suppress dissent. Supporters and officials of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, the independent media and civil society have been subjected to harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest, and torture. In recent months Amani Trust a leading Zimbabwean human rights NGO which provides support to victims of torture has come under threat from state authorities. The government has used restrictive legislation as a weapon to silence individuals or organizations who expose human rights violations.
