Alert 23 May 2008 – The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) continues to receive distressing reports on observers being attacked.

As the retribution attacks continue throughout the country with disturbing reports of alleged abductions, torture and subsequent murders of political activists since the announcement of the Presidential results, ZESN is alarmed with the continued attacks targeted at domestic observers a few weeks before the critical second election pencilled for the 27th of June 2008.

Some ZESN observers have received threats, physical attacks, homes have been burnt, property destroyed, crops burnt and some have been denied medication after severe attacks.

On 21 May 2008, ZESN received three worrying cases of its observers having been severely tortured at the hands of known ZANU PF militia in Mt Darwin East, Mutyandaedza village, after which they were transported to Mt Darwin District Hospital for medication, only to be denied proper care and attention.

The three, two men and an elderly woman all ZESN observers suffered fractured arms, fractured fingers, deep cuts and bruises from severe beatings. Such inhuman and degrading treatment by well known ZANU PF youths in the area is a mockery to calls for peace and calm ahead of the runoff by the leaders of ZANU PF and the police.

Furthermore, displaced ZESN observers who had been accommodated at a safe house in Harare were raided and dumped at Mbare bus terminus on the 20th of May 2008 by the police. These observers from Muzarabani, Mt Darwin, Shamva and Mudzi had ran away from their homes following threats, harassments and arson attacks on their properties.

In Mutoko South, the family of a ZESN staff member was harassed and beaten by suspected ZANU PF youths in the area for their association with a member of an election observation group.

ZESN appeals to the police, political parties and traditional leaders to educate and tell their structures to stop political violence.