OVERVIEW

The SADC Heads of State and Government met in Lusaka, Zambia from 16 - 17 August, to discuss among other issues the deteriorating political and human rights situation in Zimbabwe. However on the eve of the SADC meeting, a 62 - member delegation of the Southern African Peoples' Solidarity Network (SAPSN) travelling to Lusaka from Harare, for the SADC Peoples' Summit was turned back by the Zambian immigration authorities at the Chirundu Border Post. The Zambian authorities then handed the Zimbabwean civil society activists over to the Zimbabwean police who detained and harassed 40 of the victims at Chirundu Police Post. This report will show that the political environment has largely been defined by acts of torture, intimidation and politically motivated violence against human rights defenders and other pressure groups seeking to express their views on the problems in Zimbabwe. For instance, 4 students from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) were tortured by the police for speaking out against the current government and what they perceive as mismanagement of the University by the authorities.

Violence and intimidation tactics continued to be deployed by the police against members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) in various parts of the country. In Bulawayo, 6 members of WOZA were allegedly taken by force from their various homes by the police in vehicles bearing South African number plates to a secluded area 40 km away from Bulawayo. The police reportedly questioned the victims on the whereabouts of the WOZA leaders who they were failing to locate. The traumatised women were only released the following day. In another incident involving WOZA members in Masvingo, the police unlawfully arrested and detained 18 of them. It is alleged that six of the women were heavily brutalised and tortured by the police.

Close to 30 members of the ZNA were at it again in August as they went around the high - density suburb of Dzivaresekwa in Harare beating up women and children vending various wares. In an unrelated incident, on 8 August more than 70 uniformed soldiers ran amok in Esigodini in Matabeleland South where they assaulted villagers and looted the village headman’s shop. This was reportedly in retaliation to a scuffle involving army officers and the Esigodini villagers the previous week during a beer brawl.

In incidences that clearly confirm that the political environment is not yet safe or free in Zimbabwe for any democratic activities, a journalist who works for the Standard, an independent newspaper in Zimbabwe was abducted by suspected ZANU PF supporters in Gutu on allegations that he was on a spying mission for the US based radio station Studio 7. The said journalist had been in the area wanting to investigate reports that MDC supporters had been barred by CIO officers and ZANU PF supporters from attending the late MDC National Chairman, Isaac Matongo’s memorial service.

Totals: 1 August – 31 August 2007

Cumulative Totals: 1 January – 31 August 2007

The graph should be read along with the table depicting the monthly totals of violations for August 2007 on page 13.

Key Abbreviations

Sources: The information contained in this report is derived from statements made to the Public Interest Unit of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, statements taken by a network of human rights activists and newspaper reports,

Notes to the tables:

Torture:

All cases of torture fall under the definition of torture according to the general definition given in the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Forms of Cruel, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment and Punishment.

The four elements of torture are:

1. Severe pain and suffering, whether physical or mental

2. Intentionally inflicted

3. With a purpose

4. By a state official or another individual acting with the acquiescence of the state.

Those individuals referred to in point # 4 include the ZRP, ZNA, ZPS and the ZNLWVA (as a reserve force of the ZNA) and by any other grouping when directly sanctioned by the state.

Unlawful arrest and detention:

Arrest by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) with no reasonable suspicion that an offence has been committed. Detention thereafter for a period exceeding 48 hours without access to redress through the courts or subsequent release without charge.

Abduction/kidnapping:

A kidnapping by a member(s) of an organised group that is not the ZRP, political party, ZNLWVA, ZNA, MDC, Zanu PF etc

Disappearance:

Kidnapped persons whose whereabouts remained unknown at the time of reporting. Their whereabouts have still to be ascertained through follow up reports or further investigation.

Property related

These are incidents in which property rights have been violated. This includes arson, property damage and destruction and theft.

Cases of Political Violence

Note: The identities of victims whose names have not been published in the press and are not public officials are protected. This is done in order to protect the victim from further violence, intimidation and possible recriminatory attacks.

The purpose of this report is to record the nature of the politically motivated violence and intimidation that continues to prevail in the country. The Monthly Political Violence Reports are primarily based on victims’ accounts, accompanied by medical evidence where possible, obtained from member organisations of the Human Rights Forum and other partner organisations. Use is also made of press reports.

Furthermore, in this edition we include reports on police violence in non – political matters. This serves to demonstrate the way in which violent actions of the state and state agents exceed their legitimate limits and powers and which indicates an increasing and more widespread politicisation of violence.

The Report cannot be considered as the exhaustive record of all incidents of politically motivated violence in Zimbabwe in the period under review. Nevertheless, every incident reported to the Human Rights Forum directly or through its members is meticulously documented and included in the reports. Care is also taken to record the incidents in the language in which they were reported to the Forum.

The situation prevailing in the country is such that it has not been possible to verify all of these accounts. The Human Rights Forum has done what it can to verify the reports, and is satisfied that the vast majority of them are substantially true. It is also not possible to rule out whether a victim’s account is exaggerated or contains inaccuracies.

All reports derived from the press are denoted with the symbol ∑.

Bulawayo

Bulawayo East

4 August 2007

Trust Nhubu, Admire Zaya and Melusi Ndebele, all students from the National University of Science and Technology were arrested and tortured by the police for singing anti – Mugabe songs on the streets of Bulawayo. The three were subsequently tortured before being released on 6 August 2007.

6 August 2007

National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Students Representative Council (SRC) President, Clever Bere was arrested on allegations of inciting students to demonstrate at the university. He was released after spending three days in police custody at Bulawayo Central Police Station were he was allegedly tortured. It is reported that the student leader on his release could hardly stand due to the injuries sustained from the torture.

24 August 2007

Six female members of WOZA, one of them accompanied by a 1 - year old baby were reportedly taken from their different suburbs and homes at 04.00 hours by police officers from the ZRP Law and Order Section in Bulawayo. The six victims were allegedly taken away in three different vehicles bearing South African registration numbers. The women were then allegedly taken to a secluded area near Khami ruins, which is about 40km from Bulawayo, where they were questioned on the whereabouts of the WOZA leaders as well as the programmes that WOZA had planned. The traumatised women were all released the following afternoon.

HARARE

DZIVARASEKWA

6 August 2007

It is reported that on the day in question, close to 30 soldiers numbering, indiscriminately beat up women and children using booted feat and open hands for vending in open places in the area. The beatings are reported to have taken place over a period of 2 hours. The vendors were told that they were being beaten for being involved in illegal vending.

Harare Central

22 August 2007

The male victim reports that he was arrested by Harare Municipal police officers along with some vendors while trying to buy tomatoes from one of them. The victim was reportedly taken to Harare Central Police Station where he was detained for a week in dirty cells. The vendors were however released the following day but the victim was kept in custody because the police claimed that his docket could not be found. He was reportedly released after six days after he had paid a $40 000 fine for vending.

29 August 2007

Police reportedly arrested and beat up commuter omnibus drivers in Harare for failing to comply with the government order to reduce fares. It is alleged that more than 100 drivers and an unknown number of passengers were arrested at different bus ranks on the day in question. The arrests are reported to have left a large number of commuters stranded without transport at commuter omnibus ranks.

Harare East

4 August 2007

The MDC Youth Chairman for Harare East reports that while on his way home he was assaulted by 8 suspected ZANU PF supporters. The assailants allegedly assaulted the victim before driving off when they realized that the attention of passers by had been drawn by the assault.

It is reported that during the night of that same day, 3-armed police officers came to his home and took him to Rhodesville Police Station where he was detained for 4 days. The victim reports that the police officers beat him with baton sticks and trampled over him with booted feet. He was charged with common assault and paid a fine of $40 000 before being released.

Highfield

12 August 2007

The male victim reports that he was assaulted at Machipisa Shopping Center by suspected ZANU PF supporters for wearing an NCA t – shirt. The victim had gone to the shoping centre in the company of his friends who were putting on MDC t - shirts. As the victim and his friends went past the ZANU PF offices in the area, a man who asked them why they were putting on the said t - shirts, confronted them. A scuffle broke out and the victim was dragged into the ZANU PF offices, whilst his colleagues fled the scene. Four other men who were in the ZANU PF offices allegedly assaulted the victim with clenched fists injuring his arm before ordering the victim to leave the offices.

Mashonaland Central

Muzarabani

5 August 2007

The male victim reports that he was assaulted by suspected ZANU PF supporters while on his way home from the shopping centre. The victim reports that one man approached him and expressed interest in joining the MDC. He told the man to see him the following day at his home. Towards the end of the conversation the victim claims that the other man gave a signalling whistle to 8 of his colleagues who were hiding in the nearby huts. The victim reports that he was assaulted with yoke fixtures, bicycle parts and chains until he was unconscious. He made a report to the local police station but was told by the police officer on duty that not much could be done in his case because of his political affiliation. The victim was given an affidavit form to take to the District hospital where he received medical attention.

MASHONALAND WEST

Kariba

15 August 2007

On the day in question, a 62-member delegation of Southern African Peoples' Solidarity Network (SAPSN) SAPSN traveled to Lusaka, Zambia, for the SADC Peoples' Summit. They were turned back at the Zambian point of entry at the Chirundu border post before 40 individuals were detained by the Zimbabwean security authorities upon their return to Zimbabwean soil. The Zambian authorities provided no cogent reasons as to why the delegation was denied entry besides suggesting that it "was a directive from Lusaka".

Upon their arrival on the Zimbabwean side the group was subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment by large teams of security personnel which included the police, members of the CIO and military personnel, all of whom refused to identify themselves. The SAPSN delegation was held in detention at Chirundu Police Station for a period in excess of eight (8) hours. During that time they were denied access to their lawyer and were individually interrogated by intelligence agents, rather than the police, after which they had their property ransacked and unlawfully confiscated as the security authorities sought reasons to prefer fictitious charges against the group. At no time were they advised of the reasons for their arrest and detention, in contravention of the Constitution and other laws of Zimbabwe. Further, they were being intimidated into revealing personal information about themselves, their colleagues and other human rights defenders with whom they regularly interact.

Women bore the brunt of this unconstitutional conduct as they were forced to take out private and personal effects from their baggage in the presence of everyone, including their male colleagues and male members of the police and security forces. The security personnel eventually bundled all the people into their bus at 18:30 hours before ordering the driver to take the group back to Harare under heavy police escort.

Matebeleland South

The Zimbabwean Independent 31 August 2007 – 7 September 2007

Esigodini

8 August 2007

∑.More than 70 uniformed soldiers allegedly assaulted villagers and looted goods in shops in Esigodini. It is reported that the beatings were in retaliation to a scuffle that had occurred the previous weekend at Ntabende shopping centre were some soldiers were involved in a fist fight with some local residents during a drunken brawl. It is alleged that on the day in question, the soldiers arrived at the shopping centre in two truckloads and began beating up villagers indiscriminately before looting one of the shops, which is owned by the village headman. The soldiers who are based at Bomb Range Barracks in Esigodini, then allegedly proceeded to the village where they also beat up everyone they came across. Five villagers reportedly sustained broken arms and legs and were admitted at United Bulawayo Hospitals, while an unconfirmed number were also treated at Mpilo and Esigodini Hospitals. The matter was reported at Esigodini Police Post where statements of assaulted villagers were reportedly taken.

MASVINGO

Gutu

8 August 2007

Suspected ZANU PF youths reportedly abducted and held captive a journalist for more than six hours on allegations that he worked for the US based station Studio 7. The journalist, who is a correspondent for the weekly standard newspaper, was in Gutu to investigate allegations that villagers were bared from attending the memorial service of the late MDC chairman Isaac Matongo. The youths allegedly threatened to beat up the journalist for reporting negatively on the government of Zimbabwe. He was only released after senior ZANU PFF officials in the area reportedly ordered the youths to let him go.

The Standard 12 – 19 August 2007

11 August 2007

∑.Armed police and CIO officers reportedly barred opposition supporter from travelling to Mushayavanhu village in Gutu for a memorial service for the late MDC national chairman Isaac Matongo. The police allegedly told the supporters that the memorial service had been cancelled because the police had not sanctioned it. The MDC supporters were barred fro proceeding to Matongo’s village when they arrived at Zvavahera turnoff a few kilometres from Mpandawana growth point. Those barred from proceeding to the memorial service included members of civic groups.

Masvingo Central

7 August 2007

16 members of WOZA, six women and nine men, were arrested while playing social netball and football. Two other members of WOZA were also arrested at Masvingo Central police station where they had delivered food to the rest of the detained group. The WOZA members spent two nights in police custody and were released after paying admission of guilt fines. It is reported that six members of the group were heavily assaulted and tortured while in custody.

The table below and the graphs on page 4 above depict the number of violations committed on

the persons whose circumstances are described in the report. One individual may have been subjected to many violations and thus appear under several categories of violations.

Monthly totals of human rights violations from 1 January 2007 to 31 August 2007

Administrative Map of ZIMBABWE

Zambia

Mozambique

The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum (also known as the “Human Rights Forum”) is a coalition comprising 17 member organisations. It has been in existence since January 1998 when non-Governmental organisations working in the field of human rights joined together to provide legal and psychosocial assistance to the victims of the Food Riots of January 1998.

The Human Rights Forum has now expanded its objectives to assist victims of organised violence, using the following definition:

“Organised violence” means the inter-human infliction of significant avoidable pain and suffering by an organised group according to a declared or implied strategy and/or system of ideas and attitudes. It comprises any violent action, which is unacceptable by general human standards, and relates to the victims’ mental and physical well-being.”

The Human Rights Forum operates a Research and Documentation Unit and offers legal services to assist victims of organised violence and torture claim compensation from perpetrators through its Public Interest Unit.

Member organisations of the Human Rights Forum are:

• Amnesty International (Zimbabwe) (AI (Z))

• Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP)

• Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)

• Human Rights Trust of Southern Africa (SAHRIT)

• Legal Resources Foundation (LRF)

• Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)

• Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ)

• Nonviolent Action and Strategies for Social Change (NOVASC)

• Transparency International (Zimbabwe) (TI (Z))

• Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA)

• Zimbabwe Association for Crime Prevention and the Rehabilitation of the Offender (ZACRO)

• Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR)

• Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET)

• Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)

• Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)

• Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP)

• Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association (ZWLA)

The Human Rights Forum can be contacted through any member organisation or through:

The Administrator, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: admin@hrforum.co.zw

The Public Interest Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: legal@hrforum.co.zw

The Research Unit, P O Box 9077, Harare – email: research@hrforum.co.zw

Address: 8^th Floor Bluebridge North, Eastgate, Harare; Telephone: 250511 - Fax: 250494

The International Liaison Office, 56- 64 Leonard Street London EC 2A 4JX– email: IntLO@hrforumzim.com

Telephone+44-20-7065-0945

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Previous reports of the Human Rights Forum can be found on our website.