MDC activists badly tortured in police cells

By Tichaona Sibanda
29 March 2007

The MDC has claimed that most of its activists who were arrested on Wednesday, when police stormed their party headquarters in Harare, have been badly tortured in police cells.

Four of the nine activists who appeared in court on Thursday have since been admitted to hospital with serious injuries. They are facing charges of attempted murder stemming from recent petrol bomb attacks around the country. Presidential aid to Morgan Tsvangirai, Ian Makone and his wife were charged with possession of illegal firearms.

A Harare magistrate who presided over the case Thursday instructed the police to let defence lawyers gain access to all activists in detention. The magistrate ordered that every detainee should have legal representation by midday Friday.

The party’s deputy secretary for Legal Affairs Jessie Majome said they’ve been unable to communicate with most of their activists because their lawyers have been facing hostilities and threats from state security agents. Majome said they have filed an urgent application at the High court to have their members released from custody. The case has been set for Friday morning. MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was briefly detained during the police raid and was only released after the authorities had finished searching the building.

‘It has become extremely dangerous and difficult for our lawyers to gain access to the activists because they are being threatened by state security agents,’ Majome said.

Majome accused the police of committing gross human rights violations against innocent civilians, including children and wives of MDC officials, who were also picked up in the latest crackdown by security agents, in an operation the government claimed was to combat ‘civil unrest.’

‘What has happened in the last two days can be described as a holocaust arrest of innocent Zimbabweans. When police stormed Harvest house they confiscated passports, took away computers, ripped apart all the furniture and destroyed almost everything from doors to toilet utilities,’ she said.

In the last two days about 65 MDC activists, 20 of them from Harvest house, were arrested and are all being held at the Harare Central Police Station Law and Order Section. Those arrested at Harvest house included innocent tenants and bona fide MDC employees. Among those picked up elsewhere were two children from MDC MP Paul Madzore’s house, the wives of MDC senior members Piniel Denga and Ian Makone, plus people who had nothing to do with party activities. A crisis team that went to the central police station on Thursday with food for the detainees was threatened with imprisonment and told to go back.