ZIMBABWE: EU pull-out a green light for abuse- Amnesty

JOHANNESBURG, 20 February (IRIN) - Amnesty International has expressed
concern that the pull-out of European Union (EU) observers will result in
an escalation of human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

"The decision to withdraw EU observers will give the green light for
further serious human rights violations in Zimbabwe," the rights
organisation said.

President Robert Mugabe's government kicked-out Pierre Schori, the Swedish
ambassador to the United Nations and the head of the EU's observer
mission, on 16 February. This triggered the pull-out of the 30-member
observer team, and EU sanctions that include a travel ban on Mugabe and
his close political associates, as well as a freeze on their overseas
assets.

Mugabe is up against Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan
Tsvangirai in next month's presidential election.

"It is alarming that the largest contingent of international observers
will not be on the ground during these crucial days leading up to the
election. By their very presence they acted as a check to state-sponsored
violence and intimidation occurring on a daily basis," Amnesty
International said in a statement.

The rights group believes the "lack of impartial international observers
will facilitate further suppression of the rights to freedom of
expression".

Amnesty International appealed to the other remaining observer teams from
the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum, the
Commonwealth and the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to send a larger
number of observers to make up for the absence of the EU, which was
expected to field 150 monitors.

In the run-up to the 9-10 March elections, professional policing standards
have been undermined by political instructions, the organisation alleged.
"During the past two weeks, Amnesty International has documented ... grave
violations of the right to public assembly and association, which the
organisation believes were facilitated by the lack of international
observers."

Among the cases documented by Amnesty International was an attack on
Monday (18 February) on MDC offices in Harare by ZANU-PF supporters, in
the presence of police.

Another was the arrest of 11 church leaders on 16 February for an
inter-denominational event in Bulawayo. Police officials claimed that the
march by Roman Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian, and Methodist churches
would endanger public order or breach the peace.

Police arrested Anglican Reverend Noel Scott at his pulpit on charges that
he violated the recently passed Public Order and Security Act (POSA).

"Other leading clergy and worshippers followed police, who had detained
Rev. Scott, to the central police station of
Bulawayo, where they prayed outside the police station. Another 10 people,
including Catholic priest Father Kevin O'Doherty, were also arrested and
charged under the POSA, and were later released on remand on 18 February."

Amensty said police also arrested "some 15 members of the National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA) on 15 February for taking part in a peaceful
demonstration that had been banned by police under the POSA. Several of
those arrested alleged that they had been assaulted by police while in
custody."

"On 10 February, Zimbabwean police cancelled a rally in Gokwe by ...
Tsvangirai, stating that the rally would be likely to degenerate into
violence and was therefore banned under the POSA. Yet police did not
intervene when ZANU-PF attacked the rally organizers on 9 February and
burned their vehicle," Amnesty International said.

The organisation believes that "inaction or use of excessive force by
police violates international standards for policing. Despite the POSA
stating that only force that is reasonably justifiable in the
circumstances can be used, other provisions of the law endanger the right
to freedom of expression".
[ENDS]

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