Zimbabwe High Court Lifts Opposition Rally Ban

By M. Brandon Maggiore
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Africa

HARARE, Zimbabwe – The Zimbabwe High Court lifted a police ban on several rallies by the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change (MDC). The MDC sought relief from the High Court on Friday after police failed to approve MDC events around Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. The police ban on several rallies followed the detention of MDC leader and presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai on Friday in Bulawayo. There is also concern about food shortages following President Mugabe’s crackdown on field operations of aid agencies. The presidential runoff election between President Robert Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai is to take place June 27, 2008. 

The court order that police should not interfere with future rallies followed the ban by police to prevent the exposure of MDC politicians to possible assassins. The police order cited MDC complaints about the risk of targeted assassinations which the police said they were investigating but thus far have found no support for such claims.

Friday’s detention of Tsvangirai was the second detention in three days. On Wendsday, Tsvangirai was detained by police without charge for eight hours before being released. 

Earlier this week, Mugabe’s government froze all aid organization field operations stating that they were supporting the opposition. This action is believed to be an effort to prevent aid agencies from witnessing government intimidation of rural voters and to enable the government to buy votes with food supplies. There is fear that this will put over 2 million Zimbabweans in danger of starvation.

The ban on aid organization field work has sparked international outrage with the U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe, the White House spokeswoman, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and the UN humanitarian chief all speaking out against this act. The National Organization of Non-Governmental Organizations in Zimbabwe said that the ban was illegal. 

The United States State Department announced it was going to raise the issue of Zimbabwe’s disregard for international law and protection of diplomatic personnel in the U.N. Security Council following the detention of two U.S. embassy vehicles and one vehicle from the British embassy.

The vehicles were stopped on their way to investigate reported violence. The tires of the vehicles were slashed at a road block set up by government authorities. An American embassy driver was beaten and it was threatened that the vehicles would be set afire with the passengers inside if they did not exit. The Security Council is reported to have expressed concern over the action and will continue to discuss it.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the incident “is an example of the fact that this government doesn't know any bounds.” McCormack also said that the incident was not a random occurrence. 

The MDC alleges that at least 65 supporters have been killed and thousands have fled their homes due to a state campaign of violence and intimidation against MDC supporters by police, military personnel, and militias.

An aid worker reported to the BBC that she had MDC supporters who had their hands injured and their identification cards taken so that they cannot vote in the upcoming election. 

For more information, please see:

BBC News - Court 'lifts Zimbabwe rally ban' - 7 June 2008

BBC News - Zimbabwe Halts Opposition Rallies - 6 June 2008

America.gov - Security Council to Discuss Detention of Diplomats in Zimbabwe - 5 June 2008

allAfrica.com - Zimbabwe: Mugabe Using Food as Political Tool, Says U.S. - 7 June 2008