Click to expand Image People protest the proposed Zimbabwe constitutional amendment extending the presidential term,London, April 18, 2026. © 2026 Maynard Manyowa/News Images/NurPhoto via Reuters (Johannesburg) – Zimbabwean authorities have harassed, abducted, and arbitrarily detained student leaders protesting a proposed constitutional amendment to extend presidential terms, Human Rights Watch said today. Constitutional Amendment No 3 would extend the terms of office for the president and members of parliament from five to seven years, effectively postponing the 2028 elections until 2030. Student leaders affiliated with the Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) mobilized young people to attend public consultations on the proposed amendment held across Zimbabwe. “Students who speak out to safeguard their country’s democracy should not face abduction, arrest, and ill-treatment,” said Idriss Ali Nassah, senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.…