Zimbabwe: The Face of Torture and Organised Violence Zimbabwe Government are seeking is an end to the isolation of Zanu-PF. There is an increasingly bitter and violent intra-Zanu-PF struggle for Mugabe’s successor, and the solution for Mugabe and Mbeki is seen to be a controlled handover of power to somebody in Zanu-PF who can turn the economy around, re-build the country’s tarnished image and gradually restore the rule of law and a semblance of democratic governance. The fundamental question is whether it is possible to have a free and fair election at this time in Zimbabwe’s history, given both the scale and intensity of previous abuses, the extent to which these abuses have damaged the structures necessary for such a democratic exercise, and the ever-lurking threat of violence and torture which breaks out periodically as the election date approaches. In November 2004 the Redress Trust (REDRESS) issued a report on the trends and patterns of organised violence and torture in Zimbabwe, detailing their associations with elections and showing clearly and graphically that in recent years organised violence and torture were most closely associated with elections.3 The current report expands on this, examines developments in 2004, and produces additional material on human rights violations in Zimbabwe. Also included are selected case studies on torture in recent years, some relating directly to political activity and others not. The purpose of these case studies is to illustrate the range of torture victims and the methods of torture employed. A recent trend is its use against Zanu-PF supporters themselves, so deeply is it ingrained in certain sections of the police but particularly within the Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO). As Zimbabwe moves towards these elections it is important for all those concerned with the result to more fully understand the reality of the state of human rights in that country. Although the polling day itself may be relatively peaceful it has been repeatedly made clear, and it is indeed trite, that the democratic process for the holding of a free and fair election is a process and not an event. To ignore or minimise what has led up to the election requires brushing aside not only developments in more recent months but also what the whole social and political fabric of Zimbabwe has endured over the past several years. This paper is intended as a contribution to that better understanding. 3 See REDRESS: ZIMBABWE: Tortuous Patterns Destined to Repeat Themselves in Upcoming Election Campaign, London, November 2004. 2