Human rights NGO condemns torture

Zimbabwe Human rights lawyer Gabriel Shumba is in hiding in South Africa, after allegedly being tortured by the police in Harare, a local radio station reported. Shumba was arrested while defending opposition Movement for Democratic Change parliamentarian Job Sikala on charges of treason. Shumba was later released, but told South African Radio 702 on Thursday that he had received death threats, and believed it was the policemen who had tortured him. In a related development, the Zambia-based Southern Africa Human Rights NGO Network (SAHRINGON) has condemned violations of human rights in Zimbabwe. "SAHRINGON is deeply disturbed and concerned with the on-going persecutions and obvious disregard for rights to human dignity, association, speech and freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, including torture," the group said in a statement on Thursday. "Recently, five Zimbabwean citizens namely: Honourable Job Sikhala, St. Mary's' MP, Gabriel Shumba, a human rights lawyer, Taurai Magaya, Charles Mutama and Bishop Shumba provided personal accounts of how they were subjected to handcuffing, assault, electric shocks, drinking of own vomit, blood and urine, by the law enforcement agents of Zimbabwe. "We condemn Zimbabwe's failure to uphold the rule of law and their apparent decision to disregard the provisions of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and various other international and regional instruments they are party to, which guarantee fundamental freedoms," SAHRINGON said. The NGO network called on African leaders to intervene, in keeping with the good governance provisions of the Constitutive Act of the African Union. It also called on the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights to "take note of the various incidents of torture and increased violation of human rights in that country".