Amnesty International blast Zim police for harassment of opposition

By Tererai Karimakwenda
26 March, 2008

The human rights watchdog Amnesty International have added their voice to a growing list of observers who have criticised the situation on the ground in Zimbabwe, ahead of the election on March 29. The organisation was concerned mostly with issues relating to the rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly, which they concluded were being unnecessarily restricted by state agents.

In a report released Wednesday, Amnesty strongly criticised state security organisations, including the police, for intimidating and harassing perceived political enemies and civil society organisations. The report said these groups are operating under constant surveillance.

Simeon Mawanza, Amnesty’s Zimbabwe researcher, was recently in the country and he witnessed some of the incidents contained in the report. He said compared to previous elections, the situation was “generally calm” and opposition officials were seen in districts that used to be “no-go areas” to them. However there continues to be low-level intimidation and harassment that could impact on the elections.

Mawanza said state agents sit in meetings conducted by civil groups and sometimes visit their offices to interrogate them. This is a signal that they are being watched and affects their ability to do their work. One organisation that met with Amnesty officials in Bulawayo was later questioned as to why, and what type of information they had given out.

Earlier this month, five people operating a public address system at a rally addressed by presidential candidate Simba Makoni were briefly detained at Plumtree police station, only to be released without charge after Makoni himself intervened. But the police do not interfere with the activities of supporters of the ruling party.

Mawanza referred to another incident that took place on March 7, in which three members of the Tsvangirai MDC, who were putting up election posters in Bulawayo, were ordered to pull them down by members of the CIO. Some members of the group were then forced to chew the posters and swallow them. No arrests were made.

Mawanza said the authorities in Zimbabwe are in breach of the constitution and national law of the land, as well as regional and international statutes relating to human rights.

Amnesty is calling on the authorities, particularly the police, to operate in an impartial manner, investigate all reports of violence and intimidation and bring the perpetrators to justice. Mawanza believes it is important to document these abuses and encourage a change in policy and practice so that a culture of impunity does not develop.

Meanwhile, the United States is reported to have expressed fears on Tuesday that the actions of the Zimbabwean government will prevent free and fair elections. According to the AFP news agency, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack cited "inaccurate voter rolls and violence and intimidation of competing political parties and civil society", which he said had been reported by independent organisations. McCormack also criticised the overproduction of postal ballots which it is alleged are going to be used by the police, military, diplomats and electoral officials, to rig the elections.