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Mugabe's Thugs Amnesty Robert Mugabe, the aging and increasingly out of
touch President of the bankrupt and corrupt Republic of Zimbabwe, has
given a sweeping general amnesty to his political thugs. This
Presidential decree was rushed through at break-neck speed and in great
secrecy on the 6th October, and was only spotted by legal
campaigners in a government gazette on the 10th October. Although the general pardon does not extend to the
crimes of rape and murder, many murders have been charged as
manslaughter, which is covered by the scope of this scandalous pardon.
In effect, Mugabe has given the supporters of himself and his ZANU (PF)
puppet government, a licence to kill and intimidate opponents at will. It is also a direct endorsement by Mugabe, of the
violent land invasions which have been in progress for the past eight
months, and have seen the deaths of both white farmers and black farm
workers, in addition to the blatant and illegal theft of land. In his desperation to cling on to power at any cost,
Mugabe has given the green light to lawlessness and chaos within
Zimbabwe. This move will do nothing but harden the resolve of the
international financial donor agencies and overseas governments, who
will not release funds to Zimbabwe whilst it is run without the rule of
law. The EU has already frozen all but humanitarian aid, and is unlikely
now to change this position in the near future. The text of the amnesty order can be seen below: General Notice 457A of 2000. It is hereby notified that His Excellency the
President has made the order set out in the Schedule. 6-10-2000. A.V.M. CHIKUMIRA Secretary for Justice, Legal and Parliamentary
Affairs Schedule Clemency Order No. 1 of 2000 General Amnesty for Politically-Motivated Crimes Title 1. This order may be cited as the Clemency Order No.
1 of 2000. Pardon for politically-motivated crimes 2. A free pardon is hereby granted to every person
liable to criminal prosecution for any politically-motivated crime
committed during the period 1st January, 2000 to 31st July, 2000: Provided that this pardon shall not apply to any
person who has committed a specified offence. Remission of Sentence for politically-motivated
crimes 3. A remission of the whole or the remainder of the
period of imprisonment is hereby granted to every person convicted of
any politically-motivated crime committed during the period 1st January,
2000 to 31st July, 2000: Provided that this remission shall not apply- (a)
to any habitual criminal serving a sentence of extended imprisonment; or (b)
in the respect of any sentence for a specified offence; or (c)
any prisoner serving a sentence imposed by a Court Martial. Interpretation (a)
where the sentences are running concurrently, the period of the longer
or longest sentence; (b)
where the sentences are not running concurrently, the aggregate of the
several sentences of imprisonment; "politically-motivated
crime" means- (a)
any offence motivated by the object of supporting or opposing any
political purpose and committed in connection with- (i)
the Constitutional Referendum held on the 12th and 13th February, 2000;
or (ii)
the general Parliamentary elections held on 24th and 25th June, 2000;
whether committed before, during or after the said referendum or
elections; (a)
any conspiracy, incitement or attempt to commit any offence referred to
in paragraph (a); (b)
being an accessory after the fact to any offence referred to in
paragraph (a) or (b); "specified offence" means- (a)
murder, robbery, rape, indecent assault, statutory rape, theft,
possession of arms and any offence involving fraud or dishonesty; (b)
any conspiracy, incitement or attempt to commit any offence referred to
in paragraph (a); (c)
being an accessory after the fact to any offence referred to in
paragraph (a) or (b). 6-10-2000 |