Opposition leader remains in custody

Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, arrested on treason charges, will spend a fourth night in police custody awaiting a high court hearing on Tuesday on his bail application. Tsvangirai, already involved in one treason trial, was arrested on Friday after a week of anti-government protest action. Facing a similar charge related to the stayaway is opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Secretary-General Welshman Ncube, who was arrested on Monday. Both Tsvangirai and Ncube are already on trial for treason for allegedly plotting to eliminate President Robert Mugabe ahead of last year's presidential elections. Both men have accused the government of fabricating evidence. MDC spokesman Paul Nyathi told IRIN he hoped simultaneous bail applications for Ncube and Tsvangirai could be lodged on Tuesday morning. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a new report on Monday that human rights conditions had "deteriorated markedly" in Zimbabwe over the last few months. "Not only have the army and police personnel failed to protect people from human rights abuses, but they are now carrying out abuses themselves," Peter Takirambudde, executive director of the Africa Division at HRW was quoted as saying. "In addition, recent legislation has drastically curtailed citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association." The report, "Under a Shadow: Civil and Political Rights in Zimbabwe", detailed the government's alleged policy of repression, and the harassment of opposition party members by state institutions and supporters of the ruling party. The direct involvement of ranking government officials and state security forces marked a new and worrisome trend in Zimbabwe's ongoing political crisis, the rights group added. "Systematic arbitrary arrests and other abuses of dissidents' human rights violates Zimbabwe's obligations under international law," said Takirambudde. "The government must end the culture of impunity before human rights conditions decline further." HRW called on the government to re-establish the rule of law, disband youth militia, withdraw military personnel from residential areas, and revise legislation that is contrary to international human rights law. "All sides are urged to promote a climate of tolerance and mutual respect for differing political opinions," it added. The briefing paper can be viewed at: http://hrw.org