Rising Repression of Zimbabwean Human Rights Defenders
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum published on 29 September the Political Violence Report for August. The report highlights an escalation in violence by Zimbabwean authorities against human rights defenders.
The report outlines the arrest and detention of members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). The full Report is available here.
One hundred and one members of WOZA face trial on 23 October for ‘participating in a public gathering with the intent to cause public disorder, breach of peace or bigotry’. If convicted, the women could receive up to five years in custody or a heavy fine. About 150 WOZA members face similar charges for participation in a demonstration in August and stand trial on 10 of October.
On 13 September 2006,180 members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) were arrested in Zimbabwe prior to the commencement of an anti-poverty and anti-government March. Many of those arrested were tortured.
In Harare, 15 members of ZCTU, including the president, vice-president and secretary general were violently arrested and taken into custody. Lawyers acting for ZCTU were denied access to their clients. Those detained claim they were subjected to serious torture and suffered severe injuries in the process.
The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) issued a statement on 4 October 2006 to confirm the testimonies.
The injuries sustained included; fractures due to beatings with blunt objects, 29 individuals sustained severe and multiple soft tissue injuries to the backs of the head, shoulders, arms and 8 individuals received soft tissue injuries to the soles of the feet, which corresponds to the torture method called Falanga, which can leave a torture victim having difficulty with normal walking for the rest of his or her life.
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) acting for members of ZCTU appeared in court on 3 October 2006 and welcomed the directive by the presiding Judge to undertake a fresh inquiry into the allegations of torture.
The trial date has been set for the 17 October 2006.