By Myriam Clerge
Impunity Watch Reporter, Eastern and Southern Africa

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – According to a report released this past Tuesday by Women in Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), one of the leading civil rights organizations in Zimbabwe, women activist are being arrested without cause, tortured and sexually abused. The WOZA organization was formed in 2003 and has about 55,000 members across Zimbabwe. The activist group has become a powerful voice against President Robert Mugabe’s government. In response to protests vocalizing the deepening economic and political crisis in Zimbabwe, many women activists claim they have been detained and abused by police.

In a preliminary report, which surveyed the WOZA members from 2000 to 2007, the women activists have been unlawfully detained, degraded, slapped, beaten with sticks and threatened with sexual violence. Many times the abuse occurs in front of their children since police do not separate the children during the arrest. According to Jenni Williams, one of the founders of WOZA, the arrests are unprovoked. Williams, alone, has been arrested about 30 times in the past three years.

Despite promising reports of mediation between President Mugabe and his leading opposition party, ZANU-PF, there continues to be an increase in violation in Zimbabwe. Other human rights organizations like Amnesty International have also accused the Mugabe government of human rights violations. According to Williams, the government seeks to prevent all protests mismanagement, corruption, and complete disregard for Zimababwe’s well-being. Williams as well as Western diplomats urge neighboring countries to help ease the depression and suffering.

Meanwhile, the country’s inflation rate remains the highest in the world at more than 6,500%. In one of many desperate efforts to curb the eroding economy and severe food shortage, government officials announced on Sunday that bakers would be allowed to double the price of bread and sugar. Critics have no faith in Mugabe’s price control regulations and believe his strategies have plunged the economy into a deeper crisis.

For more information please see:

USA Today (AP) –Zimbabwe Women Report Police Abuse -11 October 2007

Reuters: Africa- Zimbabwe Police Torture Women Activists – 11 October 2007

Yahoo News (AFP)- Zimbabwe Approves Over 200 Percent Price Hike for Bread – 14 October 2007