All News items from Zimbabwe

Human rights NGOs in Zimbabwe are mounting an orchestrated campaign to block new legislation aimed at controlling the activities of NGOs. 

The prominent human rights lawyer Alec Muchadehama has been arrested on 15 April. Alec Muchadehama has been involved in many of the court cases against Zimbabwean human rights defenders in recent years. 

Front Line welcomes the release of the five WOZA members arrested on 27 February 2009 during a demonstration organised by WOZA outside the Ministry of Education, in Harare. The five defenders have been released on bail on 2 March 2009 after three nights in police custody. Charges under Section 37(1)(a)(i) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act - "disturbing the peace, security or public order" are still pending. The five defenders are due to appear in court on 19 March.

All ten members of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and WOZA arrested have been released on bail in the late evening of 12.02.09, after spending two nights in police custody. 

Front Line is deeply concerned at the adbuction Pascal Gonzo and Broderick Takawira, staff members of Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), on 8 December 2008. They were taken away from ZPP offices by six men driving unmarked cars. 

On 13 May 2008, Charles Thole and James Mushayi were reportedly abducted by ZANU PF supporters in Kotwa, Mudzi. They were held hostage and reportedly tortured at a ZANU PF base at the Muzezuru Primary School before being freed with the help of a lawyer and members of the police. MP elect for Mudzi North, Newten Kapecha, is suspected of having instigated the torture. He also reportedly confiscated the accreditation cards and ZESN t-shirts of eight other ZESN observers. 

Amnesty International claims that female demonstrators can be subjected to arbitrary arrest, beatings and in some cases torture in police custody. The human rights group, which interviewed dozens of activists, urged the country's authorities to "stamp out any discrimination against women". Zimbabwe is in the grip of a severe economic crisis. Shops are running out of even the most basic items and inflation is approaching 5,000%.