University of Ballarat Branch ABN 38 579 396 344 March 1st 2011 For attention: Minister of Justice, Zimbabwe, Patrick Chinamasa Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri Home Affairs (police) Minister Kembo Mohadi State Security (CIO) Minister Didymus Mutasa Wayne Bvudzijena (police spokesman) Zimbabwean officials (various, in Australia) To whom it may concern, My organisation, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), represents University staff in Australia. As President of the University of Ballarat Branch of the NTEU, I write in protest at the arrest, detention and torture of social justice activist and director of the Labor Law Centre at the University of Zimbabwe lecturer Munyaradzi Gwisai on February 19. My information is that Munyaradzi Gwisai and others have been charged with treason. Furthermore, a guilty verdict risks a sentence of death or life imprisonment. I understand that Munya, along with others detained with him, has been tortured during the process of interrogation. Confession under torture is an unacceptable breach of human and internationally recognised labor rights. Furthermore, it makes a mockery of the legal system in Zimbabwe and undermines fundamental rights to justice that all human beings should be entitled to. I understand that unions around the world and throughout Africa are moving to condemn recent actions taken with respect to Munyaradzi Gwisai and others arrested with him, including The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), an organisation that I hold in great regard. I call on you to reply to organisations and individuals and explain the actions you are undertaking or plan to undertake to secure the release, without delay, of Munyaradzi Gwisai and the other 45 labor activists arrested on February 19. Furthermore, please explain what actions you intend to undertake to investigate violations of international conventions on human and labor rights that have occurred in this case. I await your response. Sincerely Dr. Jeremy Smith Branch President Branch Address: Level 2, Albert Coates Complex, Mt Helen Campus, University of Ballarat Postal Address: NTEU Uni of Ballarat Branch, PO Box 663, Ballarat, VIC, 3353 Phone: (03) 5327 9163 | Fax: (03) 5327 9162 | Email: [email protected] .