Arnold Tsunga

Human rights defender Arnold Tsunga has received a credible warning that the Zimbabwe Military Intelligence Corps has been ordered to kill him. Amnesty International believes his life is in grave danger.

Arnold Tsunga is the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights) and a trustee of the radio station Voice of the People (VOP), whose shortwave transmitter in Madagascar broadcasts criticism of the Mugabe government which can be received in Zimbabwe.

On 26 January ZimRights was approached by a soldier of the Zimbabwean army who told them that the Military Intelligence Corps had been given orders to find Arnold Tsunga and kill him. Two days earlier Arnold Tsunga and five other VOP trustees had been arrested and taken to court on charges of unlawfully possessing broadcasting equipment without a licence ; only the state-run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings has a licence. All six were freed on bail.

Arnold Tsunga is a prominent lawyer, Acting Secretary of the Law Society of Zimbabwe, which regulates the country’s legal profession. He is also Executive Director of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR).

In the early hours of 18 January, two police officers and a soldier had come looking for Arnold Tsunga at his home in Mutare, a town in the east of Zimbabwe. When they were told that he was not there, they took his domestic workers to the police station. The workers were later released without charge after ZLHR lawyers intervened.

On 21 January, police from the Law and Order Section had come to arrest him at his second house in the capital, Harare. They did not find him, but arrested a ZLHR driver and a caretaker, for allegedly obstructing investigations when the two said they did not know where he was. The police searched the house and took away a photograph of Arnold Tsunga, without giving any explanation.

On 24 January Arnold Tsunga and other five trustees of VOP presented themselves at Harare Central Police Station where they were arrested, charged and taken to court. They were all released on bail and remanded to 10 February.

Furthermore, on January 26, 2006, an unknown man came to Zimrights’ office, asking to talk with Mr. Tsunga. As Mr. Tsunga was absent, this man, who seemed to be linked with the Army, explained that he had been visited twice by some members of the Zimbabwe Military Intelligence Corps (ZIC), who told him that they had received orders from the government to hunt Mr. Tsunga down, and to kill him.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Human rights defenders in Zimbabwe operate under very restrictive conditions. The government of Zimbabwe restricts operations of human rights organisations through legislation such as the Public Order and Security Act and Private Voluntary Organisations Act. Critics of the government also have their freedom of assembly, expression and association limited through harassment and arbitrary arrests.

Action requested :

Please write to the Zimbabwean authorities, urging them to :

i. Guarantee, in all circumstances, the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Arnold Tsunga, and of all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe;

ii. Ensure that Mr. Arnold Tsunga, Mrs. David Masunda, Mr. Millicent Phiri, Mr. Lawrence Chibwe, Mr. Nhlahla Ngwenya and Mrs. Isabella Matambanadzo be granted a fair and impartial trial so that all charges against them be dropped, as they are arbitrary;

iii. Put an end to all acts of harassment against Mr. Arnold Tsunga, all human rights defenders in Zimbabwe, as well as Mrs. David Masunda, Mr. Millicent Phiri, Mr. Lawrence Chibwe, Mr. Nhlahla Ngwenya and Mrs. Isabella Matambanadzo;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, in particular its article 1 which states that “Everyone has the right, individually and in association with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realisation of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels”, and article 12(2) above-mentioned;

v. Ensure in all circumstances respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in accordance with international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Zimbabwe.

APPEALS TO :

Commissioner of Police : Commissioner Augustine Chihuri

Police General Headquarters, Police Headquarters, PO Box 8807, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe

Fax : +263 4 726 084 / +263 4 253 212 /+263 4 728 768

Salutation : Dear Commissioner

Minister of Home AffairsHon. : Kembo Mohadi, MP

Ministry of Home Affairs, 11th Floor Mukwati Building, Samora Machel Avenue

Private Bag 505D, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe

Fax : +263 4 726716

Salutation : Dear Minister

Minister of Defence : Hon. Sydney T. Sekeramayi

Ministry of Defence, Defence House, Kwame Nkruma Avenue, Private Bag 7713

Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe

Fax : +263 4 796762

Salutation : Dear Minister

Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs : Hon. Patrick Chinamasa, MP

Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs

Corner House, Leopold Takawira Street, Private Bag 7704, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe

Fax : +263 4 772 999

Salutation : Dear Minister

COPIES TO :

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

6th Floor Beverley Court, Corner Nelson Mandela Avenue and Fourth Street

Box CY 1393, Causeway, Harare,Zimbabwe

Fax : +263 4 251 468

+263 4 723789

E-mail : zlhr@icon.co.zw / zlhrlaw@mweb.co.zw

Zimbabwe Human Rights Association

P. O. Box 3951, Harare, Zimbabwe

Fax : +263 4 707277

Email : zimright@mweb.co.zw

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.