Yale Human Rights and Development Journal, Vol. 7 [2004], Iss. 1, Art. 4 2004] Zimbabwean Human Rights Crisis carefully, in order to gain maximum political advantage in the run up to the 2002 presidential elections. These elections were held March 9 and 10, 2002, and President Mugabe was promptly declared the winner, with fiftyfour per cent of the vote. However, conditions in the pre-election period were far from conducive to a fair electoral process, and its conduct was marked by widespread irregularities, condemned by numerous local and international independent observers as well as human rights organizations. 12 The commonwealth observer group that monitored the elections described a "climate of fear" surrounding the elections, and the MDC contested the results in the courts. Local human rights groups documented a significant increase in incidents of political violence, detentions, and torture in the period leading up to the elections and in the post-election period.' 3 Zimbabwe was subsequently suspended from the commonwealth and several countries imposed sanctions targeted at President Mugabe and his close supporters. In the months following the election, President Mugabe and his ZanuPF party sought to strengthen their grip on power by further attacking the political opposition in a range of ways and suppressing the voices of all who dared to criticize the government. Conforming to a pattern begun much earlier, the government used physical violence and intimidation, arrest and detention on spurious charges under new legislation, the prohibition or disruption of public meetings and demonstrations, and threats and verbal attacks published in the government-controlled press. A variety of groups and individuals were subjected to this treatment, including not only opposition leaders and supporters, but also independent journalists, trade unionists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), civil society activists, teachers, judges, and lawyers. Numerous, reliable reports from both local and international human rights and humanitarian organizations, as well as from foreign governments, have documented acts of political violence including serious human rights violations such as torture, physical assault, killings, and rape in Zimbabwe. 14 While the victims and perpetrators of these abuses come 12 See LAWYERS COMMITTEE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, CRISIS IN ZIMBABWE: FLAWED ELECTIONS AND FURTHER HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS (Mar. 15, 2002), at www.humanrightsfirst.org/defenders/hrdzimbabwe/hrd zim_1.htm. 13 The Zimbabwean Human Rights NGO Forum noted in January 2002: As the presidential campaign begins in earnest, of gravest concern are the 16 politically motivated murders that were reported in the month of January. This figure may be higher as it is possible that other deaths went unreported. This is the highest number of deaths recorded in any one month since the first politically motivated murder that was recorded in March 2000. This confirms the oft-repeated assertion that Zimbabwean elections are almost always accompanied by gross human rights violations and loss of life. These human rights violations undoubtedly build up a climate of fear and terror among theelectorate. It also puts paid to any suggestions that political violence may be on the decline when in fact it is increasing at an alarming rate. See ZIMBABWE HUMAN RIGHTS NGO FORUM, POLITICAL VIOLENCE REPORT (Jan. 19-31, 2002), at http://www.hrforumzim.com/monthly/january0202.htm (emphasis removed). 14 A vibrant and committed human rights community has developed in Zimbabwe in the http://digitalcommons.law.yale.edu/yhrdlj/vol7/iss1/4 6