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ACTSA keeps in close touch with our partners in Zimbabwe, responding to requests for solidarity and working to ensure that public awareness of the current crisis and the reasons for it are fully understood. We are prepared to protest directly to the Zimbabwean Government and to press for international measures when there is a clear call from the democratic forces within Zimbabwe for us to do so.
Our principle partners in Zimbawe are:
September 2006 arrests
On September 13, 2006, Mr. Lovemore Matombo, ZCTU President, Ms. Lucia Matibenga, ZCTU First Vice President, and Mr. Wellington Chibebe, ZCTU Secretary General, were brutally assaulted by police officers, at the Police station of Matapi, a district of Mbare, in Harare. Messrs. Matombo and Chibebe could reportedly not manage to stand after the assaults and their clothes were soaked in blood. Ms. Lucia Matibenga had swollen feet and could no longer walk. The detained trade unionists were denied access to a doctor from 'Doctors for Human Rights' and to a lawyer during the whole afternoon on September 13, 2006.
Meanwhile, routes planned for use by union marchers were blocked in many cities, including in Harare, where the militia of the Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front (ZANU PF) wearing party regalia moved from point to point, intimidating people.
In addition, hundreds of trade union leaders throughout the country were detained, interrogated and in some cases assaulted by the police. Others were threatened or intimated. ZCTU offices were blockaded and/or sealed by army and/or police forces, as happened for instance in Masvingo and Mutare. Repression against unionists and other civilians reportedly took place in 16 cities and towns throughout the whole country, including Harare, Chitungwiza, Plumtree, Gwanda, Hwange, Bulawayo, Beitbridge, Masvingo, Mutare, Chinhoyi, Kariba, Gweru, Shurugwi, Gokwe, Kwekwe and Chegutu.
On September 14, 2006, early in the morning, Mr. Matombo, Mr. Chibebe and Ms. Matibenga were transferred to the Harare's Central Police Station.
According to the information received, police officials at the Central Police Station of Harare refused to detain Mr. Matombo, Mr. Chibebe and Ms. Matibenga and were insisting on receiving a report on who assaulted them. The Matapi police denied that Mr. Matombo, Mr. Chibebe and Ms. Matibenga were assaulted. Subsequently, their lawyer made an application to the High Court for an order to give the three human rights defenders access to a doctor. Later in the day on September 14, 2006, Mr. Matombo, Mr. Chibebe and Ms. Matibenga were transferred back to Matapi.
On September 15, 2006, Mr. Matombo and Ms. Matibenga appeared in Court at around 4:15 pm. The injuries of Mr. Wellington Chibebe, who has serious cuts to the head, three broken bones, and severe bruising and swelling all over his body, were so severe that he was unable to attend the bail hearing. Yet, all three were released on bail of 20,000 Zimbabwe dollars each, and are due to appear in court on October 3, 2006 on charges relative to public order (under Section 37 of the Criminal Law Act).
While Mr. Lovemore Matombo has a broken arm and has bruising and swelling all over his body, Ms. Lucia Matibenga has whip marks all over her back. Her neck is swollen and her ear drums have been damaged so much her hearing is impaired.
The Observatory strongly condemns these events, which are the latest in a continuous pattern of harassment and repression of Zimbabwe's human rights defenders, including trade union leaders. In addition, the Observatory recalls that the use of the Public Order and Security Act (POSA) against legitimate trade union action and activists has been repeatedly criticised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), most recently by the Committee on the Application of Standards during the 95th Session of the ILO Conference, last June in Geneva ( Switzerland).
More generally, the Observatory reiterates its concern about the situation of human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, who face serious risks to their security as well as infringements of their freedoms of expression and association.
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