There were international calls for government to cease clamping down on the rights to freedom of association and assembly10. The Government of Zimbabwe was urged to respect international human rights norms and standards pertaining to freedoms of association, of peaceful assembly and of expression in the run up to the constitutional referendum on 16 March and subsequent elections, which took place in July. The UNHRC received increasing numbers of reports about acts of intimidation and harassment, physical violence and arrests against civil society actors, mostly working on human rights issues11. EU MEPs condemned the arrests of Human Rights Association workers Okay Machisa, Dorcas Shereni and Leo Chamahwinya in their Zimbabwe offices in December 2012, shortly after they denounced the growing police brutality across Zimbabwe and called for action by the competent authorities. MEPs called on the Zimbabwean authorities to release anyone detained for defending human rights and to end their judicial harassment. 12 The sustained and escalating assault on NGOs involved in civic education, human rights monitoring, public outreach and service provision – all of which are lawful activities and noble endeavours were highlighted by local NGOs. In describing the clampdown, they said methods of attack included character assassination through the partisan and state-controlled media, disruption of lawful activities and meetings, violent disruption of peaceful protests, and invasion of organisational premises through the use of vague and generalised search warrants as well as suspicious break-ins and thefts. These violated African Union and the United Nations norms which clearly protect the rights of HRDs to associate, organise and carry out peaceful activities, and the right of human rights organisations to exist and be protected by law. Such rights are further enshrined in the Constitution and laws of Zimbabwe. CSOS called on the state and its institutions and actors, to immediately cease attacks against NGOs and HRDs, and to open space to allow civil society to continue with their critical activities. They highlighted that failure of this inclusive government to come to its senses painted a negative picture of the pre-election environment, and would be recorded accordingly for those in the region and further afield to take note13. Specific violations (Some covered under Rule of Law) On 5 February, police in Lupane, Matabeleland North Province, arrested two National Youth Development Trust (NYDT) members and charged them with contravening Section 40 of the Criminal Law Code for allegedly possessing voter registration receipts. The NYDT members Brilliant Goboza (22) and Ray Ncube (19) were arrested on Monday 4 February 2013 in Lupane and charged with “possession of articles for criminal use” contravention of Section 40 of the Criminal Law Code after they were allegedly found with a number of receipts issued at the Registrar General’s Office when one registers as a voter. Initially, the police detained 40 people who were later released leaving Goboza and Ncube in custody. The police indicated that the two NYDT members will be taken to court on Wednesday 6 February 2013. On 11 February police intensified their systematic crackdown on civil society organisations by raiding the offices of the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) and seized several documents and other materials. The five police officers from the Criminal Investigation Department stationed at Harare Central Police Station’s Law and Order Section, who included Detective Assistant Inspector Ben Justen, Nyabuwa, Mugogodi and Mapara were armed with a search warrant issued by Superintendent Jeremiah Murenje which permitted the search for “subversive material, documents, gadgets, recordings and illegal immigrants”. The police officers charged that there were reasonable grounds that the Jestina Mukoko-led ZPP was in possession of some articles which the organisation intended to use for criminal use in contravention of Section 40 of the Criminal Law Code. 10 http://www.hrw.org/node/114291, 19 March 2013 11 Joint Statement by United Nations Special Rapporteurs on 27 February 12 European Parliament Resolution, 8/2/2013: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/plenary/search-by-date 13 ZLHR 37