On 31.8.11 the Public Interest Unit of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum ('the Forum') issued the attached statement concerning the case of our client, Mr Caleb Marange, a victim of organised violence and torture. Mr Marange was awarded compensatory damages of USD$5.500 following his assault in 2006 by three ZANU PF youth supporters in Marondera who accused him of being an MDCsupporter.
The Forum hopes that this judgement will act to foster accountability at community level by holding individula perpetrators of organised violence and torture accountable for their actions.
Reports and statements issued in recent days by the Forum's 19 member organisations include the following items:
Today, 6.9.11, the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Zimbabwe) issued a Press Release reporting that two Associated Press reporters were briefly arrested and detained as they were trying to cover the expulsion of the Libyan Ambassador to Zimbabwe. This can be accessed via the following link: http://www.misa.org/cgi-bin/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=1315298559
Yesterday, 5.9.11, the Legal Monitor, Editon 109 was released by Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR). Amongst other issues, there is an item about the launch of the Forum's Transitional Justice nationwide survey which we circulated in yesterday's mailing. There is also news that human rights lawyers have petitioned the High Court to impose a jail sentence on the Registrar General for contempt of court after he defied a court order to renew a citizen's passport. Too large to attach here, we will gladly send you a copy of the Legal Monitor upon request until such time as it is available on the ZLHR website via www.zlhr.org.zw
ZLHR's submission to Parliament about the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission were noted in the attached excerpt from Zimbabwe's Hansard of 30.8.11
The Zimbabwe Human Rights Associaition (ZimRights) issued the attached Newsflash of 5.9.11 about the plight of children and Somerby Settlement near the Snakepark on the outskirts of Harare. ZimRights is concerned at press reports that under age children are being forced into marriages because of the poverty in the settlement.
The Students Solidarity Trust (SST) issued the attached Press Release today, 6.9.11. It reports on the acquittal of five student activists in Masvingo.
Reports and statements recently released by other civil society organisations and international bodies include the following items:
Yesterday, 5.9.11, the Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) issued a Press Release about the brutal and fatal attack on a farming family which apparently took place early last Friday morning. This can be read on line via the following link: http://www.zimbabwesituation.com/sep6_2011.html
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) issued the attached Press Release of 5.6.11. It reports on 3 ZESN workshops with communities in Hurungwe and Kariba about the proposals in the Electoral Ammendment Bill. Of note was the opposition to the proposal for a polling station based voters' roll.
Today, 6.9.11 the States in Transition Observatory of the Institute for Democratic Alternatives in Southern Africa (IDASA) released the latest editon of Zimbabwe Election Watch. This issue covers the month of August 2011 and measures Zimbabwe's electoral environment according to the SADC Principles and Guidelines Covering Democratic Elections. This can be accessed on line via the following link: http://www.idasa.org/media/uploads/outputs/files/electionwatchaugust.pdf
Post published in: Politics