Johannesburg

Sunday

More sun than clouds. Pleasantly warm.

16°C
28°C

7 day forecasts
Zimbabwe

New wave of arrests in Zim

2008-06-10 20:12

Special Report

'Zim dollar won't return soon'

Zimbabwe's central bank governor says the country will not put the local dollar back into circulation anytime soon, according to the state daily.

Mugabe's view on sanctions
Mugabe's view on sanctions

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe says he doesn't expect the US sanctions on his country to be lifted soon.

Harare - Zimbabwe police have carried out a string of arrests of civic organisations since Sunday, widening a crackdown against opponents of President Robert Mugabe's regime ahead of presidential elections later this month.

The move follows a ban announced by the government last week on field operations by aid agencies and charities, effectively strangling supplies of food, medical care and an enormous range of services desperately needed by millions of Zimbabweans living in poverty.

Fourteen members of "public information groups" organised by the Media Monitoring Project Zimbabwe, a non-governmental organisation pressing for media freedom, were finally given access to lawyers on Tuesday after being arrested on Sunday in the remote northern town of Binga, MMPZ co-ordinator Andrew Moyse said.

Police had not stated why they had been arrested, but none had been assaulted, he said.

In Harare, police on Monday raided the offices of the Ecumenical Support Services, a Christian welfare organisation, and the Christian Alliance, a body pressing for political reform.

Fifteen arrested

"They claimed they were chasing criminals who had run into the building," said CA co-ordinator Useni Sibanda. "Then they arrested 15 of our people."

Among those arrested was outspoken critic and commentator, Pius Wakatama.

"There are no charges. This is a non-partisan Christian organisation. I am shocked they are doing this to us. They are clamping down on all civil society groups. It's impossible to have free and fair elections."

On Tuesday, lawyers said police were ignoring high court orders issued on Sunday for the immediate release of senior advocate and just- elected MP Eric Matinenga.

He was first arrested on May 31 on allegations of "inciting violence," only days after he won a court ruling to stop members of the army from assaulting people in his constituency in southeast Zimbabwe, following a wave of violence against MDC supporters.

Last week a magistrate dismissed the charges against him and ordered his release, only for police to arrest him at dawn at his Harare home on Saturday.

Since the March 29 election, human rights and church groups have confirmed MDC reports of a campaign of violent assaults against MDC supporters and independent election observers around much of the country.

Also on Tuesday, Mugabe's Justice Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, said he was planning an amnesty of convicted criminals in the country's jails to make space for people convicted of political violence.

"We recognise that incidents of political violence are on the increase and we want to take measures to stamp them out," he said in the state-controlled daily Herald newspaper. However, human rights lawyers say that police routinely take no action against ruling party perpetrators of violence. - Sapa-dpa

- SAPA

inside news24

Weather
Traffic
Lottery
Cpt: 16-23°C Sprinkles early. Morning clouds. Mild. Pta: 18-30°C More sun than clouds. Pleasantly warm.
Jhb: 16-28°C More sun than clouds. Pleasantly warm. Bloem: 17-31°C More sun than clouds. Pleasantly warm.
Dbn: 18-24°C A few showers. Partly sunny. Mild. PE: 16-25°C Morning clouds. Mild.
7 day forecasts...

Jobs - Find your dream job

Developer

Western Cape - Cape Town
Quiglies Solutions

SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

Western Cape - Cape Town
Quiglies Solutions

Financial Manager

Gauteng - JHB North/Sandton
Network Finance Menlyn
R550,000-700,000 Per Annum Cost To Company

Cars - Search 1000's of new and used cars

AUDI

2009 Audi A3 2.0 T Sportback Manual - 24000kms
Lava Grey & Tan leather interior
R 275 000

TOYOTA

Yaris T1 1.0 3-dr AC
2008
R 87,990.00

MERCEDES

C270 CDi Elegance Dsl AT MY00
2005
R 199,995.00

TOYOTA

Yaris T3 Sedan 1.3 Spirit
2007
R 135,990.00

Property - Find a new home

WATERVAL EAST

Single Residential R2,400,000

KWAAIWATER

Single Residential R2,500,000

WELBEDACHT

Single Residential R2,600,000

Travel - Look, Book, Go!

Luxury bush escape

Book a five-star stay at Pumba Game Lodge or Richard Branson's Ulusaba Safari Lodge and save R2 000. More details!

Free Games - TOO MUCH NEWS? TAKE A BREAK!

Kalahari.net - shop online today

Great Festive Savings on Books

Up to 30% Off ALL Books. 2.3 million titles on SALE.

Sleek New iPod Range. Order Your's Now!

iPod nano 16GB - Black, Was R2,499.00 Now R2,299.00! Save R200!

Up to 40% off Fabulous Festive Flicks

46 000 DVDs and Blu-Ray on sale now! Pre-order Up and District 9!

Up to 20% off ALL Music

100s of festive new releases now in stock! Now, Bump 25, Bon Jovi & more!

1000s of Festive Toys on Sale

Lots of Toys, free gift wrap, lowest prices on Lego Mindstorm, Ben 10, Hannah Montana & more!

Hot Deal of the Day!

Up to 30% off Books

Ends midnight, 30 November

2.3 million titles on sale! New Stieg Larsson, Jeremy Clarkson, Jamie Oliver & more!

Up to 40% Off Sale on All Books, Toys, CDs, DVDs & Games!