THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT |ZIMBABWE I 2017 Torture & other cruel, officials affiliated to the ruling ZANU-PF. The police inhuman or degrading continued to use brute force when dealing with vendors operating in the country’s cities and towns. treatment or punishment In the process many vendors and innocent civilians The use of torture by members of the ZRP and CIO were affected as the police indiscriminately assaulted agents remained a serious human rights challenge in anyone in the process. The Forum documented a 2017. Due to a conflation of the state and the ruling total of 184 cases of torture. party, torture is mostly used to achieve ZANUPF political objectives. State officials involved, do so with impunity and the implicit support of State Hospitalised victim of torture Scan here to listen to Samuel Wadzai speak about the plight of vendors in the face of police brutality. Listen to Evans Gogo. talk about his torture. Specific Cases 8 9 10 On 30 January 2017, Gershem Wakapira and another vendor who sell their wares close to Harvest House (MDC-T Headquarters) in Harare were severely assaulted by members of the police. One victim was attacked on the street. He sustained serious wounds in the head. The other victim was taken to the Harare Central Police Station, where he was severely tortured. 8 On 7 March 2017, three villagers from Mola communal areas in Kariba district were severely tortured by members of the army. One of the villagers was severely assaulted by the soldiers for leaving a public road repair work before completion.The man had apparently worked for the entire day without food. Other villagers had advised him to leave early because his home was too far away from that point. The second one was falsely accused of stealing a cell phone and was taken to Chalala, a fishing camp along Zambezi River where he was tortured together with the Chief’s son. The victims believe they were targeted because of their MDC-T activism. The police refused to record the cases against the soldiers. 9 On 9 March 2017, as Mr. James Chikande a resident of Epworth, came from a beerhall, he was hit by a teargas canister fired by anti-riot police. The canister hit him in the face. The police were engaged in some running battles with members of the public at the shopping centre. The matter was reported at Dombo Police Station in Epworth. The Forum lawyers are representing Mr. Chikande. At the time of writing, the case was at the pre-trial stage. 10 The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Monthly Political & Human Rights Violations Report, January 2017 Available on http://www.hrforumzim.org/publications/, Counselling Services Unit, Political Monthly Violence Update, March 2017, Unpublished Report The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Monthly Political and Human Rights Violations Report, March 2017, Available on http://www.hrforumzim.org/publications/ Forum’s 20