Heal Zimbabwe notes that the infringement of citizens’ rights such as unlawful arrests and detentions are a violation of citizens’ fundamental human rights that are provided for in the constitution. In November 2016, during the United Nations Human Rights Council periodic review in Switzerland, Government assured the council that its human rights record had significantly improved which seems contrary to this incident.
Before Pastor Mawarire left Zimbabwe, he led peaceful stay aways as a way of registering displeasure by citizens over the current Government’s reluctance to act on vices such as corruption. His protests on social media also decried the state of the economy and poor social service delivery.