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Political violence report: June 2006 - Overview
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
July 14, 2006

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Overview
The month of June was characterized by a decline in the cases of human rights violations, particularly those related to organized violence and torture. This can be attributed to a low profile in terms of activities in civil society. Usually cases of organized violence and torture are on the increase during major political events such as elections and demonstrations organized by some civic groups. This is a trend that the Forum has witnessed. This decline may also be attributed to violations not having been reported to the Forum at all or for them to be incorporated into the monthly report timeously.

Isolated cases of human rights violations continue to take place. A victim was arrested near Harvest House and was taken to Harare Central Police Station where he was unlawfully detained for four days. He was heavily assaulted and denied food whilst he was in the police cells. He was only released after the court had established that he had no case to answer.

The Harare City Council, through its Department of Housing and Community Services, gave about 30 residents of Matapi flats in Mbare notices of eviction. The victims state that the City Council was evicting them because they did not have certificates of occupation to the flats. These victims were either children of the deceased original leaseholders or their parents had relocated to the rural areas. The notices of eviction were issued despite the fact that some of the residents had stayed at these premises for more than ten years and were paying the required rentals to the City Council on monthly bases. The Human Rights Forum deplores such actions by the City authorities and urges the authorities to offer alternative accommodation whenever undertaking such exercises.

On 22 July, State Security agents reportedly threatened pastors from Harare and Chitungwiza saying that that a meeting held at a Methodist Church in Highfield earlier in the day was illegal. It is reported the threats were made in order to prevent religious leaders; students and workers from demonstrating against economic hardships, fearing the protests might degenerate into a nationwide event. Bishop Levee Kadenge of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe is reported to have gone into hiding after he had been threatened with death by a CIO operative, who warned that they wanted to kill him. The Forum again deplores such unwarranted actions by state security agents and urges their members to desist from the practice of using death threats as a way of stifling the exercise of civil and political rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

Totals: 1 June 2006 – 30 June 2006

Cumulative Totals: 1 January 2006 – 30 June 2006

The graph should be read along with the table depicting the monthly totals of violations from 1 January 2006 to 30 June 2006. The total quantifiable number of victims reported in June 2006 is 18.

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