Many among those whose detention has been revealed by the government have reported being tortured.
Between October and December 2008, state security forces arrested 43 members of the Movement forDemocratic Change (MDC) and human rights activists, including the prominentactivist Jestina Mukoko.
Zimbabwe authorities are putting lives at risk by secretly detaining MDC
members and rights activists, said Georgette Gagnon, Africa Director at
Human Rights Watch. Those unlawfully held should be freed immediately.
The police initially denied holding the activists, but on December 22 their lawyers were tipped off that 32 of them were being held in various police stations in Harare. The activists had been unlawfully held by security forces for periods ranging from two weeks to eight in secret detention centres. None had been brought before a court within 48 hours, as required by law.
The detained activists told their lawyers that during their secret detention, state security agents had subjected them to beatings and other torture. They were forced to make false confessions to acts of sabotage, banditry and terrorism and to recruiting others to do the same.
Mukoko told her lawyers that, during her 19-day secret detention, Central Intelligence Organisation agents and police officers repeatedly beat the soles of her feet with rubber truncheons, forced her to kneel on gravel for hours under interrogation and threatened her with death. Mukoko also said that she was forced to make videotaped statements falsely indicating that she had been recruiting people to overthrow the government.
The authorities are also refusing to disclose the whereabouts of 11 other MDC members. On December 31, Acting Minister of State for National Security Didymus Mutasa submitted an affidavit in court proceedings stating that state security agents had taken the men into custody.
Zimbabwe authorities admit to abducting the 11 political activists and yet continue to profess ignorance as to their whereabouts, said Gagnon. Those responsible are committing a crime, and they should produce the men immediately.
Post published in: Politics