and, regrettably there is evidence implicating senior officers in some of the violations, and some of these officers are alleged to have been involved in many different violations. It is also clear that this is not a case of a few “bad eggs”, but that the alleged violations take place on a widespread scale and have been happening for a long time. These agencies are being used to help the ruling party to suppress opposition and retain power. Again it is clear that the victims are not random, but that the targets are overwhelmingly members of opposition political parties and civic activists. However, whereas human rights abuses by non-state actors such as ZANU (PF) supporters, war veterans, or the youth militia, are mostly connected with elections, abuses by the Zimbabwe Republic Police continue to be committed whether or not there are elections. The inference that arises from this is that it appears that the Zimbabwe Republic Police is involved in systematic abuse of the groups mentioned above. When these agencies operate in conjunction with the army, there are often increased levels of brutality. This is the clear conclusion to be drawn from all the data before the Human Rights Forum, beginning in 1998 with the Food Riots. Furthermore, it is alarming to note that there are a significant number of cases in which the police, the army and the Central Intelligence Organization [CIO] are alleged to operate in concert. Statements made by high-ranking members of the ruling party encourage the law enforcement agencies to perpetrate these abuses and it can be argued that the widespread abuses are state sponsored or at least condoned by the state. Furthermore, statements by police officers made on these occasions are often similar in nature to those of the politicians. A clear illustration of this was the various statements of all state parties – politicians and police officers – before and after the alleged torture of the ZCTU leaders recently. The protection of the law has largely been removed from those considered to be hostile to ZANU (PF). It is rather the case that the law, and especially the Public Order and Security Act, has become an instrument of repression, with unlawful arrest and detention becoming prevalent. The increase in arrest and detention since 2002 underlines this point. Normal civic activity, of the kind accepted in most democracies, has become impossible, and any civic activity must take place with the knowledge that arrest, detention, and even torture, may be the consequence of citizens exerting their constitutional rights. Who guards the guards? Violations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, 2000 to 2006