UPDATE: ZANU PF has no shame, Mnangagwa says MDC Trio are ochestrating their abduction and sponsored by foreign governments

Ten United Nations human rights experts on Wednesday called on the Zimbabwe government to end what they called a pattern of disappearances and torture aimed at suppressing dissent.

The experts, who included members of the UN’s working group on enforced disappearances, said last year alone 49 cases of abduction and torture were reported in the country.

In a hard-hitting statement, the 10 UN human rights experts said they were making an urgent call following the abduction and torture of three female Movement for Democratic Change party (MDC) members

The three, including MP Joana Mamombe, were allegedly abducted from a police station following their arrest for taking part in a protest march.

The UN experts said the abduction and torture of the three was an outrageous crime, and the perpetrators should be punished.

But state media on Wednesday quoted President Emmerson Mnangagwa as telling top Zanu-PF officials that the abduction of the three MDC women was orchestrated by vigilantes hired by hostile foreign governments.