ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM
http://www.hrforumzim.com/
POLITICAL VIOLENCE REPORT
MAY 2003
17 June 2003
A report by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum

OVERVIEW
Allegations of torture by State Agents continue to surface. The majority of the perpetrators were reportedly dressed in army and police uniforms and as such the victims plausibly concluded them to be ZNA and ZRP personnel. Such identity appears to have been confirmed by the use of police and army vehicles and by arrest and detention at police stations following the act of torture. Most reports have emanated from Harare. Soldiers and police officers have on many occasions been reported as forcing entry into victims’ homes, assaulting them with baton sticks, booted feet and open palms, apparently on the basis of their real or perceived support of the opposition MDC. DM of Chitungwiza alleged that she was abducted and tortured by ZRP and ZNA forces, on suspicion that she had some MDC information in the house. The state agents are said to have demanded MDC party cards and information from her, even though she had none. FM, a refugee, claims that he has come under harassment from CIO agents, who have accused him of supporting the opposition MDC. He asserts that he is apolitical.
The Human Rights Forum wishes to reiterate its apprehension with regards to the increased use of repressive legislation and state agents to violate human rights, in particular the basic rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. S20 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe prohibits the hindrance of a person’s ‘enjoyment of the freedom of expression, that is to say freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information’ and similarly S21 protects the right to ‘assemble freely and associate with other persons and in particular to form or belong to political parties or trade unions or other associations’. While the Constitution limits these rights in the interests of defence, public safety, public order, public morality or public health, none of these circumstances appear to have been present in the contravention of the abovementioned rights. The repressive provisions of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), in addition to excessive use of force by state agents, remains the basis for the contravention of the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly in Zimbabwe.
Reports indicate that the violations pertaining to freedom of association and expression were perpetrated mainly around incidents such as the demonstrations held by MDC women in the Harare city centre, the treason trial of the three MDC leaders, Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC President), Welshman Ncube (MDC Secretary General) and Renson Gasela (Gweru Rural MP) as well as the MDC one-week mass action held from 2 to 6 June 2003. Nine female MDC members who marched through the streets of Harare expressing solidarity with the three MDC leaders were reportedly arrested outside the MDC offices. They were detained at Harare Central Police Station. In another incident, NK of Harare claims that police officers assaulted her with booted feet, arrested her and then detained her for 5 hours on allegations of having taken part in the demonstrations that had just occurred that afternoon. Women from the MDC had held a peaceful demonstration in the area, holding placards calling for an end to women' s predicaments in Zimbabwe.
Six students from the Harare Polytechnic College claim that they were arrested and detained by the police at Harare Central Police Station, on suspicion that they had links with the opposition MDC. An unspecified number of students from the same institution were also assaulted by the police on allegations that they had a part to play in the MDC mass action which was held from 2 to 6 June 2003. The students deny the charges. They were charged under POSA Section 15(1)(a) on accusations of distributing prohibited material and inciting student unrest . In Bulawayo, forty-six women, members of WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) were reportedly arrested by the police on allegations that they had staged a public demonstration in contradiction of a High Court Order, which had barred them from doing so. They were commemorating Mothers’ Day and advocating for an end to violence in all its forms.
Reports of assault by members of ZANU PF, youths from the Border Gezi National Youth Service Training Centre, ZNLWVA members and MDC youths have been received. In Kuwadzana, Budiriro and Glen View (Harare Province), MDC youths were reportedly on a rampage chanting MDC slogans and indiscriminately intimidating and assaulting civilians. In Hurungwe West (Mashonaland West Province), LM, MDC candidate for Ward 7, was reportedly abducted by ZANU PF youths while in the process of filing his nomination papers at Magunje Growth Point. He was detained until after closure of the Nomination Court to prevent him from registering, such that the ZANU PF candidate was declared duly elected unopposed. In Chitungwiza (Harare Province), ES alleged that he was coming from work when about 25 youths from the Border Gezi National Youth Service Training Centre beat him with golf clubs and booted feet, on accusations of converting people to MDC. PC of Shamva claims that he was displaced from his home by war veterans because he supports the opposition MDC.