Zimbabwe's High Court on Wednesday postponed the trial of
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) activists charged with attempting to
overthrow President Robert Mugabe, in a case that has strained the new
government.
Four MDC members, part of a group of rights activists, including
prominent campaigner Jestina Mukoko, were abducted and unlawfully detained
between October and December last year, their lawyers say.
The case has been held up because the activists have applied to refer
the case to the Supreme Court. On June 22, the High Court will decide on the
application, said Judge Tendai Uchena. The trial is expected to start after
the ruling.
Mugabe and his rival, MDC leader and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai,
formed a power-sharing government in February, hoping to end a political
crisis after last year's disputed election.
But the prosecution of the MDC members and rights activists, charged
in May, has raised tensions in Zimbabwe's new administration, which needs
billions of dollars in international financial support to rescue the
country's ruined economy.
Western donors say aid will not flow to Zimbabwe unless a democracy is
created and economic reforms are implemented.
Defence lawyers said state security agents abducted and tortured the
activists, making any prosecution illegal.
"To try them in these circumstances violates their right to the
protection of the law. There have been serious violations to their
constitutional rights," defence lawyer Alec Muchadehama said.
"Applicants contend that they are, themselves, victims of crimes
perpetrated by the police and other security agents,"
State prosecutors accuse the activists, who have been released on
bail, of trying to scuttle the trial.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Journalists barred from Comesa summit despite High Court order
Four journalists, who last week won a landmark case against the government
over the legality of the Media and Information Commission (MIC), were this
weekend barred from attending the Comesa summit for not being accredited.
The Information Ministry two weeks ago instructed all journalists wishing to
cover the event to register for accreditation with the MIC. The freelance
journalists took the state to court over the issue and on Friday, High Court
Judge Bharat Patel ruled that the MIC was now a defunct body and as such no
journalist in the country was legally required to register with it. The
court granted the journalists an interim order barring Information Minister
Webster Shamu, his permanent secretary George Charamba, MIC chairman Dr
Tafataona Mahoso and others, from interfering with the operations of the
four journalists in their work.
But the journalists, Stanley Gama, Valentine Maponga, Stanley Kwenda and
Jealous Mawarire, were on Sunday turned away from the summit venue in
Victoria Falls by security details. The security officials insisted that the
journalists, despite the production of the High Court order, could not cover
the event as they were not on the Information Ministry's list of journalists
accredited to cover the summit. Lawyers for the MIC have also announced that
they will appeal against the High Court's ruling, in a clear sign that media
reform in Zimbabwe is still a long way from being achieved.
Meanwhile, during the opening of the Comesa summit that alarmingly resembled
a gathering of dictators and criminals, Robert Mugabe called for African
countries to increase self-reliance and boost development. Mugabe, who now
takes over as leader of Africa's main trading bloc, also said the continent
must raise its international capacity by 'exploiting' its mineral resources,
rich soil and human skills.
The ageing dictators hypocritical comments have been greeted with shock by
observers, as Mugabe has single-handedly destroyed development in Zimbabwe,
turning the once productive country into an aid-reliant state. While Mugabe
was lecturing his fellow African leaders on the importance of self-reliance,
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai embarked on a cross-continental aid-begging
tour, to rescue financial relationships that Mugabe's years of dictatorial
abuse destroyed. Meanwhile, outrage still abounds over the involvement of
Vice President Joice Mujuru's daughter, in a trade deal involving illegal
gold from the DRC. Could this be the kind of exploitation of natural
resources Mugabe stringently called for during his speech?
At the same time, while Mugabe called for an end to conflicts across the
continent, Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir, who faces international arrest
for war crimes, was welcomed with open arms at the summit this weekend. The
International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in March for
Beshir to face five counts of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes
over the conflict in Darfur. But the Zimbabwe government defended their
welcome of the Sudanese leader, with Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa
telling media that Zimbabwe has no duty to arrest Beshir as it is not party
to the treaty that set up the ICC.
"We are aware that the President of Sudan is under an ICC warrant of arrest
which he disputes. We are not a state party under the Rome Statute. We have
no obligation under the Statute of Rome to execute that obligation," he
said.
over the legality of the Media and Information Commission (MIC), were this
weekend barred from attending the Comesa summit for not being accredited.
The Information Ministry two weeks ago instructed all journalists wishing to
cover the event to register for accreditation with the MIC. The freelance
journalists took the state to court over the issue and on Friday, High Court
Judge Bharat Patel ruled that the MIC was now a defunct body and as such no
journalist in the country was legally required to register with it. The
court granted the journalists an interim order barring Information Minister
Webster Shamu, his permanent secretary George Charamba, MIC chairman Dr
Tafataona Mahoso and others, from interfering with the operations of the
four journalists in their work.
But the journalists, Stanley Gama, Valentine Maponga, Stanley Kwenda and
Jealous Mawarire, were on Sunday turned away from the summit venue in
Victoria Falls by security details. The security officials insisted that the
journalists, despite the production of the High Court order, could not cover
the event as they were not on the Information Ministry's list of journalists
accredited to cover the summit. Lawyers for the MIC have also announced that
they will appeal against the High Court's ruling, in a clear sign that media
reform in Zimbabwe is still a long way from being achieved.
Meanwhile, during the opening of the Comesa summit that alarmingly resembled
a gathering of dictators and criminals, Robert Mugabe called for African
countries to increase self-reliance and boost development. Mugabe, who now
takes over as leader of Africa's main trading bloc, also said the continent
must raise its international capacity by 'exploiting' its mineral resources,
rich soil and human skills.
The ageing dictators hypocritical comments have been greeted with shock by
observers, as Mugabe has single-handedly destroyed development in Zimbabwe,
turning the once productive country into an aid-reliant state. While Mugabe
was lecturing his fellow African leaders on the importance of self-reliance,
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai embarked on a cross-continental aid-begging
tour, to rescue financial relationships that Mugabe's years of dictatorial
abuse destroyed. Meanwhile, outrage still abounds over the involvement of
Vice President Joice Mujuru's daughter, in a trade deal involving illegal
gold from the DRC. Could this be the kind of exploitation of natural
resources Mugabe stringently called for during his speech?
At the same time, while Mugabe called for an end to conflicts across the
continent, Sudan's President Omar al-Beshir, who faces international arrest
for war crimes, was welcomed with open arms at the summit this weekend. The
International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant in March for
Beshir to face five counts of crimes against humanity and two of war crimes
over the conflict in Darfur. But the Zimbabwe government defended their
welcome of the Sudanese leader, with Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa
telling media that Zimbabwe has no duty to arrest Beshir as it is not party
to the treaty that set up the ICC.
"We are aware that the President of Sudan is under an ICC warrant of arrest
which he disputes. We are not a state party under the Rome Statute. We have
no obligation under the Statute of Rome to execute that obligation," he
said.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
EU announces health, water aid for Zim
The European Commission said on Tuesday it has allocated
€8-million (about R90-million) in aid to help Zimbabweans without proper
health services and water supplies.
The funds will be used to provide medicines and medical supplies,
water treatment equipment and spare parts to upgrade water treatment plants
and wells, the European Union's executive branch said in a statement.
The projects will be operated by non-governmental relief organisations
as well as agencies from the United Nations and the Red Cross/Red Crescent
movement.
The European Union has a freeze on development aid to Zimbabwe,
meaning the commission can only send humanitarian aid which in 2007 totalled
90 million euros.
Continues Below ↓
The European Union and the United States maintain a travel ban and
asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle in protest at
controversial elections and alleged human rights abuses.
The current unity government in Harare formed by Prime Minister Morgan
Tsvangirai and Mugabe estimates that $8,5-billion will be needed to rebuild
an economy shattered by record hyperinflation.
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