The European Union’s
top court on Thursday dismissed an appeal by Zimbabwe’s former attorney general
and others against an EU-wide travel ban and asset freeze imposed for human
rights infringements.
The European Union
began restrictive measures against certain people and entities in Zimbabwe in
2002. Johannes Tomana, then attorney general, and 120 other people and
companies were placed on the list in 2012.
The 28 EU member states said the reason for
Tomana's inclusion was that he had engaged in activities that "seriously
undermine democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law".
Tomana and the others applied to the EU's
courts to have their listing annulled. The General Court, the EU's second
highest court, dismissed their case in 2015, prompting their appeal to the
European Court of Justice. Tomana and the others argued that the EU was wrong
to place people on the list as members of the government or "associates"
simply because they had been state employees. They alleged the listing was
based on presumptions rather than facts and that the measures were
disproportionate.
The Court of Justice said that those who held
senior posts, such as in the military or police, must be regarded as associates
of the government unless they demonstrated a rejection of the government's
practices. Zimbabwe, led by 92-year-old President Robert Mugabe, has been
subject to a series of restrictions, including an arms embargo and economic
sanctions, imposed by the European Union and the United States
The 28 EU member states
said the reason for Tomana’s inclusion was that he had engaged in activities
that “seriously undermine democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law”.
Tomana and the others
applied to the EU’s courts to have their listing annulled.
The General Court, the
EU’s second highest court, dismissed their case in 2015, prompting their appeal
to the European Court of Justice.
Tomana and the others
argued that the EU was wrong to place people on the list as members of the
government or “associates” simply because they had been state employees.
They alleged the
listing was based on presumptions rather than facts and that the measures were
disproportionate.
The Court of Justice
said that those who held senior posts, such as in the military or police, must
be regarded as associates of the government unless they demonstrated a
rejection of the government’s practices.
Zimbabwe, led by
92-year-old President Robert Mugabe, has been subject to a series of
restrictions, including an arms embargo and economic sanctions, imposed by the
European Union and the United States.
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