Zimbabwe Time for accountability 1 Introduction “I am now disabled. I can’t work in the field. I want to be compensated for the injuries. I want to talk to my attackers and be told the truth about why I was beaten. I also want them to be brought to justice.” Lyn, an 86-year-old woman victim of politically motivated violence, August 2008 The power-sharing agreement reached by Zimbabwe’s three main political parties in September 20081 has created a rare moment of opportunity for Zimbabwean authorities to tackle the long-standing legacy of impunity for human rights violations and build a culture of accountability. Amnesty International is issuing this report at this time to draw attention to the importance of addressing the long-standing problem of impunity for human rights violations in Zimbabwe. Amnesty International is appealing to the government of Zimbabwe to institute a series of measures to break the culture of impunity which has persisted since 2000, and which was a major factor in the wave of politically motivated human rights violations after elections on 29 March 2008. Impunity Impunity is the failure to bring perpetrators of human rights violations to justice. It denies the victims their right to justice and redress. It means that it is not possible to hold those responsible for violations to account -- whether in criminal, civil, administrative or disciplinary proceedings -- since they are not subject to any inquiry that might lead to their being accused, arrested, tried and, if found guilty, sentenced to appropriate penalties. Nor is it possible to ensure that victims receive reparations. Impunity arises from a failure by states to meet their obligations to investigate violations; to ensure that those suspected of criminal responsibility are prosecuted, tried and duly punished; to provide victims with effective remedies and to ensure that they receive reparation for the injuries suffered; to ensure the right to know the truth about violations; and to take other necessary steps to prevent their recurrence.2 The UN Special Rapporteur on torture has noted that “impunity continues to be the principle cause of the perpetuation and encouragement of human rights violations and, in particular, torture.”3 Despite Zimbabwe’s legal obligations to tackle impunity, the people who have violated human rights since 2000, and most recently in the context of the 2008 elections, have not been made to account for their actions. In particular those in the security AI Index: AFR 46/028/2008 Amnesty International