Zimbabwe
An assessment of human rights violations in the
run-up to the March 2005 parliamentary
elections
1. Introduction
For the past five years, elections in Zimbabwe have been characterized by an escalation in
human rights violations. 1 These violations take place before, during and after elections. The
majority of victims are members and supporters of the main opposition party, the Movement
for Democratic Change (MDC), including opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) and
opposition candidates. The perpetrators have largely been supporters of the ruling party,
Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), and members of the
security forces.
Amnesty International researchers have been monitoring the human rights environment in
Zimbabwe as the country approaches the 31 March parliamentary elections. Although there
are fewer reports of politically-motivated violence than has been the case in previous
elections, Amnesty International is concerned that human rights are being systematically
violated in the context of election campaigning. The organization is also concerned by the
level of non-violent intimidation and harassment that is taking place in the country. This
briefing paper is a summary of Amnesty International’s major concerns.
The human rights backdrop to the elections
Amnesty International’s human rights concerns in respect of the 31 March elections cannot be
viewed in isolation from the broader human rights context in Zimbabwe. Key elements of this
broader context include:
•
The past five years have been characterized by a serious deterioration in the human
rights situation in Zimbabwe, with widespread and credible reports of state-sponsored
intimidation, arbitrary arrest, torture and attacks on supporters of the political
opposition, human rights defenders and the independent media.
•
Repressive laws that violate freedom of expression, association, assembly and
information remain in place. These include the 2002 Public Order and Security Act
and the 2002 Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, both of which the
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has recommended should be
amended so as to be brought in line with international human rights law.2 Two new
laws - the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission Act and the - as yet unsigned - NGO Act
1
See Amnesty International documents since 2000: http://web.amnesty.org/library/eng-zwe/index
African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 17th Annual Activity Report, Annex II,
Executive summary of the report of the fact-finding mission to Zimbabwe 24th to 28th June 2002
2
AI Index: AFR 46/003/2005
Amnesty International 15 March 2005