Latest from Zimbabwe

Dear Friends

Today, 7 January 2009 our member organization, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) released an Abductees Daily Update of proceedings and events of 6 January 2009 where lawyers walked out of court in protest to the state’s intention of wanting to deal with a matter of accused persons who were not in court. Also absent was the lead defence counsel Aleck Muchadehama. We attach the update.

*Background - *Jestina Mukoko and at least fifteen other people (including a two year old baby) who were abducted/kidnapped by state security agents between October and December 2008 are currently held at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison. They have not yet been charged as lawyers insist that they are being held illegally in violation of a number of High Court orders for their release. They face various and different charges including engaging in or recruiting or attempt to recruit individuals for training in banditry, insurgency, sabotage or terrorism, which carries a potential death sentence in the event of conviction.

The cholera epidemic continues. New cholera cases and deaths continue to be reported. As at 3 January 2009, a total of 33 212 suspected cases and 1640 deaths had been reported to the World Health Organization (WHO), through the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare's surveillance department. The Bulletin from WHO with the information and demographics as per province until 3 January 2009 can be viewed on the following link;

http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/FBUO-7N3E6U/$File/full_report.pdf

On 18 December, the Nordic (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) Ministers for Foreign Affairs met in Copenhagen and issued a statement calling for an end to the misrule of Robert Mugabe. They expressed concern over the grave humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe. The Nordic countries supported the liberation struggles in Southern Africa. The full statement is available on the following link;

http://www.um.dk/en/servicemenu/News/FrontPageNews/NordicMinistersInJointStatementTheMisruleOfRobertMugabeMustComeToAnEndAndRespectForHumanRightsBeRein.htm

-- International Liaison Office
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
56-64 Leonard Street
London, EC2A 4LT
UK
Tel: +44-(0)20-7065-0945 Email: zimhrforum@btconnect.com and IntLO@hrforumzim.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum has been in existence since January 1998. The Forum consists of 16 Zimbabwean human rights organisations. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum operates a Research and Documentation Unit and offers legal services through the Public Interest Unit from the Headquarters in Harare, in addition to the information service that is offered internationally from the International Liaison Office. For more details consult our webpage http://www.hrforumzim.com