INTER-PARLIAMENTARY UNION

CHEMIN DU POMMIER 5 1218 LE GRAND-SACONNEX / GENEVA (SWITZERLAND)

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COMMITTEE ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF PARLIAMENTARIANS

ZIMBABWE

CASE No. ZBW/19 - CASE No. ZBW/27 - PAUL MADZORE CASE No. ZBW/20 - JOB SIKHALA CASE No. ZBW/37 - TUMBARE MUTASA1 CASE No. ZBW/21 - TICHAONA MUNYANYI CASE No. ZBW/38 - GILBERT SHOKO1 CASE No. ZBW/25 - CASE No. ZBW/44 -

Decision adopted by the Committee at its 122nd session (Geneva, 14 - 17 July 2008)

The Committee,

Referring to the outline of the cases of Mr. Roy Bennett, Mr. Job Sikhala, Mr. Tichaona Munyanyi, Mr. Tendai Biti, Mr. Paul Madzore, Mr. Tumbare Mutasa, Mr. Gilbert Shoko and Mr. Nelson Chamisa, opposition members of the Parliament of at the time of the submission of the complaint, and to the resolution adopted by the Governing Council at its 182nd session (April 2008),

Considering that parliamentary elections and the first round of presidential elections were held in March 2008 and that Mr. Biti, Mr. Chamisa and Mr. Madzore were re-elected, but that the new parliament has not yet been convened,

Considering that Mr. Biti was re-arrested on 12 June 2008 upon his return from South Africa and, according to the Zimbabwe Police spokesperson, charged with treason “for publishing a document that was explaining a transitional strategy around March 26” and for proclaiming victory in the elections before the publication of the official results, and that he has been released on bail in the meantime,

Noting that none of the information it has requested in the other cases has been forthcoming,

1. Is alarmed at the treason charges brought against Mr. Biti on grounds which cannot be construed as treason and should be dismissed forthwith;

2. Requests the Secretary General to contact the new parliamentary authorities as soon as possible and to seek their assistance in addressing the concerns that the IPU has consistently expressed in these cases;

3. Decides to continue examining these cases at its next session, to be held during the 119th Assembly of the IPU (Geneva, October 2008), when it hopes to have the opportunity to meet with a delegation from the newly elected Parliament of Zimbabwe.

1 Mr. Mutasa and Mr. Shoko are deceased.