The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), requests your urgent intervention in the following situation in Zimbabwe.
Description of the situation:
According to the information received, on May 28, 2008, Ms. Williams and 13 other human rights defenders and political opponents, mostly women human rights defenders and one male activist of the WOZA/MOZA, were arrested in Harare while demonstrating against the current wave of political violence. They were detained well beyond the legally permissible 48 hours and only appeared in court after 4 pm on May 30, 2008.
On May 31, 2008, the court ordered their release on bail, but the State appealed against the findings of the court. Therefore, the group remained in custody, and has been detained at Harare Remand Prison up to date.
The Observatory was further informed that on May 30, 2008, Law & Order officers and some suspected Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) agents entered the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition offices and arrested Mr. Sajeni and another employee of the Coalition. They searched the office for broadcasting equipment and drove the two victims around for some time before releasing them with no charges.
Moreover, on June 2, 2008, four men likely to be members of the CIO arrived at the offices of the Coalition in an unmarked Mercedes Benz and began harassing the guard to learn about the purpose and the activities of the coalition. As the guard did not open the gate, the four men left but warned that they would be back.
The Observatory expresses its deep concern about the arbitrary arrest, ongoing arbitrary detention and harassment of the above-mentioned human rights defenders, in a context of increasing repression against all persons who have been involved in the human rights monitoring of the March 2008 election process. The Observatory further recalls that according to Article 1 of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, "everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels".
Actions required:
Please write to the authorities of Zimbabwe urging them to:
i. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Ms. Jenni Williams, Mr. Philimon Sajeni, members of WOZA/MOZA and of the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition, as well as of all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe;
ii. Release Ms. Williams and the 15 WOZA/MOZA activists as their detention is arbitrary since it only aims at sanctioning their human rights activities;
iii. Put an end to all kinds of harassment, including at the judicial level, against all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe;
iv. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998, especially its above-mentioned Article 1 and article 12.2, which provides that "the State shall take all necessary measures to ensure the protection by the competent authorities of everyone, individually and in association with others, against any violence, threats, retaliation, de facto or de jure adverse discrimination, pressure or any other arbitrary action as a consequence of his or her legitimate exercise of the rights referred to in the [...] Declaration";
v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Zimbabwe.
Addresses :
– President of Zimbabwe, Mr. Robert G. Mugabe, Office of the President, Private Bag 7700, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax : +263 4 708 211 / + 263.4.70.38.58
– Mr. Khembo Mohadi, Minister of Home Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, 11th Floor Mukwati Building, Private Bag 7703, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax : +263 4 726 716
– Mr. Patrick Chinamasa, Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Fax: + 263 4 77 29 99 / +263 4 252 155
– Mr. Augustine Chihuri, Commissioner General, Police Headquarters, P.O. Box 8807, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax : +263 4 253 212 / 728 768 / 726 084
– Mr. Justice Bharat Patel, Attorney-General, Office of the Attorney, PO Box 7714, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe, Fax: + 263 4 77 32 47
– Mrs. Chanetsa, Office of the Ombudsman Fax: + 263 4 70 41 19
– Ambassador Mr. Chitsaka Chipaziwa, Permanent Mission of Zimbabwe to the United Nations in Geneva, Chemin William Barbey 27, 1292 Chambésy, Switzerland, Fax: + 41 22 758 30 44, Email: mission.zimbabwe@ties.itu.net
– Ambassador Mr. Pununjwe, Embassy of Zimbabwe in Brussels, 11 SQ Josephine Charlotte, 1200 Woluwe-Saint-Lambert, Belgium, Fax: + 32 2 762 96 05 / + 32 2 775 65 10, Email: zimbrussels@skynet.be
Please also write to the embassies of Zimbabwe in your respective country.
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Geneva - Paris, June 4, 2008
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The Observatory, a FIDH and OMCT venture, is dedicated to the protection of Human Rights Defenders and aims to offer them concrete support in their time of need.
The Observatory was the winner of the 1998 Human Rights Prize of the French Republic.
To contact the Observatory, call the emergency line:
Email : Appeals@fidh-omct.org
Tel et fax FIDH : + 33 1 43 55 55 05 / 33 1 43 55 18 80
Tel et fax OMCT : +41 22 809 49 39 / 41 22 809 49 29