News Release Issued by the International Secretariat of Amnesty International
AI-index: AFR 46/003/2003 20/02/2003

As President Mugabe visits Paris to participate in the Franco-African
Summit, Amnesty International is urging French and African heads of state
to seize the opportunity to publicly state that they will not tolerate
human rights violations in Zimbabwe.

Over the last three years, Zimbabwean government security forces and
state-sponsored militia have been responsible for numerous human rights
violations, entrenching a pattern of impunity over the past two decades.
The ultimate responsibility for the deliberate state-sponsored campaign of
harassment and acts of violence, including torture, lies with the
Zimbabwean authorities.

"The cycle of harassment, arrest and torture of those who peacefully
express their opinion, and those in opposition to the government views,
must end. Those responsible for human rights violations and abuse must be
brought to justice," the organization said.

Since the beginning of 2003, state repression of human rights defenders and
opposition MPs has again escalated, with the sole aim to silence dissent.

On 22 January the Amani Trust, a human rights organization which works with
victims of torture, received threats to fire-bomb its offices. The
organization had already suspended most of its activities in Zimbabwe
because of fears for the safety of its employees.

On 15 January Job Sikhala, Movement for Democratic Change Member of
Parliament for St Mary's, also in Harare, Gabriel Shumba, a lawyer with the
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Charles Mutama, Bishop Shumba and Taurai
Magaya were arrested by the police on charges of trying to 'subvert a
constitutional government'. Medical evidence presented in court on 17
January indicated that the five men had been beaten on the soles of their
feet and that Job Sikhala and Gabriel Shumba had been tortured with
electricity.

With President Mugabe's presence in Paris, the French government has an
opportunity to show its commitment to the Guidelines to EU policy towards
third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment
and punishment, which state that "the EU's objective is to influence third
countries to take effective measures against torture and ill-treatment and
to ensure that the prohibition against torture and ill-treatment is upheld."

At the level of African regional human rights instruments, Amnesty
International underlines that Article 5 of the African Charter to which
Zimbabwe is party, prohibits torture, inhumane or degrading punishment or
treatment. In addition, the African Commission Guidelines and Measures for
the Prohibition of Torture, Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment in Africa state that there should be no immunity from
prosecution for nationals suspected of torture and that those responsible
for acts of torture or ill-treatment be subject to legal process.

Amnesty International calls on the African Heads of State and the French
government to take all necessary steps to ensure that they and the
Zimbabwean authorities live up to their responsibilities under
theseguidelines.

"African leaders must take a more public stand against state sponsored
repression and violence in Zimbabwe. A stronger stand is vital to ending
impunity in Zimbabwe and to protecting the human rights of all Zimbabwean
citizens," Amnesty International said.

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Take action to break the cycle of impunity! Visit
http://click.topica.com/maaaRFkaaV9qqbb0imPb/ [2]

More information about torture, visit
http://click.topica.com/maaaRFkaaV9qrbb0imPb/ [3]

View all documents on Zimbabwe at http://click.topica.com/maaaRFkaaV9qsbb0imPb/ [4]

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