SEVERAL MDC officials and supporters have been beaten up by Mugabe's secret agents over the past few months

By Edith Kaseke

HARARE – Zimbabwe human rights groups have accused President Robert Mugabe’s government of continued abuses against opponents and have urged Harare to respect judicial officers and court rulings, adding that it was worrying that lawyers have been harassed while carrying out their duties. 

The veteran Zimbabwe leader, who is seeking to consolidate his controversial rule by seeking another five-year presidential term in 2008, has long been accused of using heavy handed tactics against those who oppose and criticise his 27-year rule. 

The United States and European Union have imposed targeted travel and financial restrictions against Mugabe and several of his government and ruling ZANU PF officials over the rights abuse charges. 

“Abuse of state power by state security agents, disregard of court orders by the police, harassment of lawyers, intimidation of opposition and civic society activists continued unabated in May,” the Zimbabwe Human Rights Forum, a grouping of over a dozen rights groups said in its latest monthly report. 

“The Human Rights Forum continues to deplore the heavy-handedness with which peaceful demonstrators are treated and the criminalisation of political and civic activity by the government of Zimbabwe,” according to the report. 

The rights group recorded a total of 373 cases of abuse by state agents in May compared to 318 the previous month. These included torture, unlawful arrest and detention, assault and curtailing of freedom of expression. 

The Human Rights Forum said for example on May 2, an opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) member was arrested by six plain clothes police officers in Epworth and taken to Mbare police station. 

Police reportedly beat the victim with baton sticks and empty soda bottles under the soles of his feet while he was handcuffed because he failed to answer questions properly. He was thrown in a cell where he was reportedly denied food, water and any form of communication but was released the next day without charge. 

Critics say Mugabe, whose rule has generated controversy even within his ZANU-PF party, has increasingly relied on state apparatus such as the military, police, and the feared secret service to silence opponents. 

Political analysts say the 83-year-old leader has successfully used state security agents to cripple the MDC, which came closest to unseat him from power in 2000. 

The rights group said it was worried by the resurgence in the brutalisation of student leaders from higher and tertiary education institutions in Zimbabwe and accused university security staff of colluding with police officers. 

“Cases that were reported in May to the Human Rights Forum reportedly revealed that the University security officers were responsible for apprehending the student leaders, assaulting and then handing them over to the police where they are in most cases tortured in police custody,” the report said. 

In May, police arrested and charged with obstruction two lawyers representing MDC supporters but the attorneys were released by the court while more than 50 lawyers demonstrating against the arrests were beaten and forcibly dispersed at the Harare High Court. 

“The Human Rights Forum would like to remind the Government of Zimbabwe that lawyers are not just ordinary citizens but officers of the courts and the judicial system and should be treated as such when they are engaging in their work,” the Human Rights Forum said. - ZimOnline