The European parliament on Thursday recommended more sanctions against the Zimbabwean government in protest at the state-sponsored violence that left more than a dozen people dead.
The EU Parliament called on the European Council to review “its restrictive measures against individuals and entities in Zimbabwe, including those measures currently suspended, in the light of accountability for recent state violence”.
The lawmakers noted that EU support to Zimbabwe “is conditional on its respecting the rule of law and the international conventions and treaties” to which the southern African country is a party.
They condemned the ongoing security crackdown on unarmed Zimbabweans and called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to honour the promises he made during his inaugural speech when he replaced Zimbabwe’s long-serving ruler Robert Mugabe in November 2017.
When he came to power, Mnangagwa pledged to do away with Mugabe-era policies, including respecting rule of law and instituting security sector reforms.
Rights and opposition groups have accused the security forces of killing more than a dozen civilians following anti-government protests in January.
The move by the EU lawmakers is set to see the European bloc revisiting its decision a few years ago to relax sanctions against Zimbabwean politicians and state entities.
At present only Mugabe, his wife Grace and the Zimbabwe Defence Industries are under EU sanctions, while an asset freeze and travel restrictions had been temporarily suspended for five officials including Vice President Constantino Chiwenga and Zimbabwe Defence Forces commander Phillip Valerio Sibanda.
EU foreign ministers are expected to discuss sanctions against Zimbabwean officials when they meet in Brussels on February 18.