<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1256">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.6000.16640" name=GENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial>
<P><SPAN><FONT size=2></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P><SPAN><FONT size=2>April 30, 2008</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P><FONT size=2>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</FONT></P>
<H1><SPAN><FONT size=2>Zimbabwe: Authorities Must End Harassment of
Opposition</FONT></SPAN></H1><FONT size=2>
<HR>
</FONT>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD class=mediacontact colSpan=2><FONT size=2>Media Contacts:
</FONT></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD class=mediacontact vAlign=top>
<P><FONT size=2>Nathaniel Raymond<BR></FONT><A
href="mailto:nraymond@phrusa.org"><FONT
size=2>nraymond@phrusa.org</FONT></A><BR><FONT size=2>Tel: (617)
301-4232<BR>Cell: (617)
413-6407</FONT></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></FONT></DIV>
<DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Physicians for Human Rights condemns
the arrests, threats of harm including death, and physical assaults on members
of opponents or perceived potential opponents, of Zimbabwe’s ruling party,
ZANU-PF, inflicted by government police and security forces and their surrogates
since the election in March. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PHR
further demands respect for democratic process and the civil and political
rights of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s
people and calls on the government to yield to the outcome of the March vote
that by reliable accounts resulted in a victory in both parliamentary and
presidential elections for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.
Governments in Africa, Europe and North America, as well as the African Union,
United Nations and Southern African Development Community should take all steps
needed to end the violence and assure the establishment of a legitimate
government in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region>. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Credible reports since the election
have demonstrated that thousands of people, many but not all of which are
associated with the opposition, have been beaten and threatened by security
forces. Torture camps have reportedly been set up to obtain names of individuals
likely to support the opposition and to terrorize people who might support it.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Violence and burning of houses
inflicted by forces and gangs associated with the ruling ZANU-PF party have led
to significant displacement as people flee the violence in their villages,
creating a humanitarian crisis that is greatly exacerbated by the short supply
of food in the country. At the same time, some aid organizations are being
impeded or threatened by the government in meeting humanitarian needs.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The
non-partisan organization, Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights
(ZADHR), whose reporting based on physical examination of victims has a
reputation for professionalism and credibility, has documented 323 cases of
physical assault by government and government-sponsored forces since April 1,
and 83 in the period April 18-21. These only represent a portion of such cases.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The
cases documented by ZADHR all involve severe physical assaults and victims
include children as young as seven years old. In one case, ZADHR reported that a
39 year old man was abducted from his home at midnight, beaten and suffered a
fractured left ulna, fractured ribs on the left side, and a puncture in the lung
that is life-threatening. ZADHR also documented four cases of falanga, a form of
torture where perpetrators use sticks or bars to beat the soles of a person’s
feet, causing severe damage to the tissue beneath the skin and which in some
cases never fully heals so that walking becomes painful for life. In a large
number of cases, the assaults resulted in extensive haematomas, collections of
blood under the skin that result from internal bleeding, signalling very severe
pummelling. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">According to ZADHR, individuals
examined also showed symptoms of severe psychological trauma, stemming not only
from physical attack but from the terror of seeking to escape impending
abduction or attack, the destruction of their homes and property, and separation
from family members. One 64 year old man reportedly lost the ability to speak.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Officials responsible for the health
of the population have become engaged in violence and threats of violence. The
Guardian newspaper (UK) reports that according to a sworn statement supported by
other eyewitnesses, the Minister of Health, David Parirenyatwa, came to Murewa,
a town about 75 km from Harare, brandishing a Kalashnikov rifle, and threatened
to kill citizens if they did not vote for President Robert Mugabe in a second
round of voting. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0cm" type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Physicians for Human Rights
demands that the government of Zimbabwe immediately cease
politically-motivated assaults, intimidation and threats against members of
the opposition MDC or its potential supporters, whether inflicted by its own
agents or surrogates such as youth militias or “war veterans” and hold
accountable all individuals who inflict violence. The Minister of Health
should be dismissed and a criminal investigation initiated into his threats to
use violence. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PHR urges the United Nations, the
African Union and members of the Southern Africa Development Community,
especially South Africa, as well as other governments, consistent with their
obligations under international and regional charters and with the
Responsibility to Protect populations from crimes against humanity, to
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI></UL>
<P
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm 6pt 11.35pt; TEXT-INDENT: -11.35pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 11.35pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">-<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Require that that the current
government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0cm" type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Recognize the legitimate winner of
the presidential as well as parliamentary election and take all steps needed
to pressure the current government to recognize the
results;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Cease inflicting violence on its
own people, and to take all steps needed to end the violence, protect the
population from infringements on human rights and bring about adherence to the
rule of law;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Permit individuals to safely
return to their homes;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Allow and encourage distribution
of humanitarian aid and provision of medical care to the
wounded;<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Permit human rights monitors and
media unrestricted access to the country. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI></UL>
<P
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm 6pt 11.35pt; TEXT-INDENT: -11.35pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 11.35pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">-<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Through the UN Security Council,
send a special envoy to <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region> to be its representative
there until the crisis is resolved. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm 6pt 11.35pt; TEXT-INDENT: -11.35pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 11.35pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Courier New'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Courier New'"><SPAN
style="mso-list: Ignore">-<SPAN
style="FONT: 7pt 'Times New Roman'">
</SPAN></SPAN></SPAN><SPAN dir=ltr><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Support human rights defender and
medical groups that provide aid during the current crisis.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<UL style="MARGIN-TOP: 0cm" type=disc>
<LI class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 6pt 0cm; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PHR also urges medical and public
health organizations throughout the world speak out against the
government-sponsored brutality inflicted on people in <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Zimbabwe</st1:place></st1:country-region>, and
to condemn the involvement of the Minister of Health in threatening and
inciting violence.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></LI></UL>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center>
<HR align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
mobilizes the health professions to advance the health and dignity of all people
by protecting human rights. As a founding member of the International Campaign
to Ban Landmines, PHR shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.</SPAN></I><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Date posted:
April 30, 2008<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Last updated:
April 30, 2008<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>