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Rights expert warns Zim forces
03/04/2007 00:03 - (SA)
Geneva - A UN human rights expert warned on Monday that police officers and soldiers in Zimbabwe who obey orders to shoot demonstrators could face prosecution for crimes against humanity.
"The Zimbabwe government must immediately halt its use of lethal force against unarmed political activists," the UN special rapporteur on extra-judicial or summary executions, Philip Alston, said in a statement.
Alston underlined that military or police officers were only legally entitled to kill in self-defence or to defend another person's life.
"Under international law, widespread or systematic attacks against the civilian population are crimes against humanity," he said.
"Members of the police and military who comply with orders to gun down demonstrators will eventually be held to account," Alston added.
The UN expert called for a full and independent investigation into the killing of at least 11 people who were either shot at point blank range or beaten to death, saying the cases were "particularly troubling".
"The government is, in effect, instructing its forces to shoot innocent people, in complete disregard for the right to life," Alston added.
- AFP
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