would you be concerned without the right to peaceably assemble...what about the same right for others...far away???zimbabwe’s political parties are preparing to stage nationwide campaigns in advance of the presidential, parliamentary and local government elections scheduled to take place on 29 march 2008...
there are fears that, as on previous occasions, police in zimbabwe are likely to use excessive force to disrupt peaceful activities by the opposition parties and deny them the rights to freely assemble using the recently amended public order and security act (posa)...
on 23 january, police assaulted and arrested the movement for democratic change (mdc) supporters and leaders...morgan tsvangirai, who leads one of the mdc factions, was taken from his home at 4am by officers from the law and order section of the zimbabwe republic police...he was held at harare central police station and released without charge at about 8am...two other mdc officials, ian makone and denis murira, were also detained and released...
the zimbabwean government has persistently harassed and intimidated perceived opponents of president robert mugabe...for example, in march 2007, about 50 mdc and civil society leaders were arrested and severely beaten...some were tortured...
police repeatedly arrest and beat human rights defenders and mdc activists engaging in peaceful protest...detainees are then often ill-treated and denied access to lawyers, food and medicine...
the law and order section of the zimbabwe republic police has been particularly brutal in its treatment of mdc members and civil society activists who are critical of government policies...amnesty international has corroborated evidence of torture and ill-treatment of activists in police custody by officers from the law and order section...
peace out <3
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