information that Biti was being moved among several police stations—including Harare Central, Machipisa, Avondale, Goromonzi and Matapi police stations—the lawyers resolved to make a habeas corpus application to force the police to produce Biti in court.130 The court granted an order directing police to produce Biti in court which the police eventually did after initially ignoring the court order. Police Engagement in Partisan Politics Contrary to provisions of the Police Act,131 several senior police officers are openly ZANU-PF supporters and act principally in the interests of ZANU-PF. In Manicaland province in May 2008 the officer-in-charge forced all personnel in a police camp to wear ZANU-PF T-shirts while carrying out their duties.132 In several other camps, police were instructed to refer to each other not by their rank but by the title “comrade”—a term used almost exclusively by ZANU-PF supporters.133 This open support for a political party does not extend to the opposition. At a police camp in Mashonaland Central province, 15 police officers were arraigned before an internal police court on April 17, 2008, to face allegations that they “celebrated an MDC victory” on March 29.134 A police officer based in Harare told Human Rights Watch: Since March 29 a ZANU-PF branch was set up within the camp and it holds weekly meetings on a Thursday evening. Attendance at these meetings is mandatory. I make it a point to attend each weekly meeting and say a few words each time because if I do not attend I risk being labeled an MDC supporter. Once you are labeled an MDC 130 Court reports on file with Mbidzo, Muchadehama and Associates Legal Practitioners, reviewed August 25, 2008. 131 Police Act [Chapter 11:10] Schedule of Offences, sec. 48 (1) provides: Actively participating in politics constitutes and offence. This includes wearing clothing bearing political messages. 132 Human Rights Watch interview with Police Officer in Manicaland, August 26, 2008. 133 Reports of such instructions were received in several provinces across the country. 134 Human Rights Watch interview with police officer, Mashonaland Central, August 19, 2008. The police officers were issued with written warnings about their “alleged conduct” and were informed that they would be kept under surveillance. 37 Human Rights Watch November 2008