Violations at Police stations The first analysis was concerned with whether violations had occurred at a Police Station or not. There were no major differences between the various provinces in the frequency of alleged violations taking place at police stations,66 but a number of differences emerged in the temporal distribution [see Table 8]. Table 8 Comparison of violations at Police stations and elsewhere, Temporal distribution, 2000 to 2006. Police station No Police station [n=236] [n=995] 2000 0 3[0.3%] 2001 19[8%] 52[5%] 2002 21[14%] 166[17%] 2003 32[14%] 226[23%]* 2004 88[37%]* 137[14%] 2005 29[12%] 170[17%] 2006 46[20%] 236[24%] *p=0.005 During 2003, the year of mass stay aways and the “big push”, most violations occurred at places other than at police stations, and, from the files, a large number of the violations reported came from Buhera, where there was a pogrom against MDC supporters. During 2004, a large number of the violations involved the NCA and WOZA, who undertook frequent public demonstrations. There were no surprises in the distribution of the alleged perpetrators. 67 The ZRP Riot Squad, Zanu(PF) supporters, and the youth militia were significantly more likely to have been involved in a violation at places other than at police stations, as would be expected. A number of differences also emerged in the victims, with the MDC more likely to have experienced their violations at places other than at police stations. Members of ZCTU and students were more likely to have experienced the violation at police stations.68 As regards the violations themselves,69 police stations were significantly associated with unlawful arrest, unlawful detention, and torture, whilst death threats, property destruction, interference with freedoms, kidnapping [abductions], political intimidation, and displacement were more likely at places other than police stations. Such a pattern would be expected. 66 See Table 7, Appendix 3. 67 See Table 9, Appendix 3. 68 See Table 10, Appendix 3. 69 See Table 11, Appendix 3. Who guards the guards? Violations by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, 2000 to 2006

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