Victoria Falls, January 26, 2012–Zimbabwe Human Rights (ZimRights) NGO Forum director, Abel Chikomo said Zanu-PF activists, police and army are the worst torturers in Zimbabwe.

Addressing an anti-torture training workshop for Members of Parliament in Victoria Falls on Tuesday , Chikomo said it was discovered that Zanu-PF activists are the worst torturers in the country followed by police and army.

“Zanu-PF activists are leading in terms of torturing Zimbabweans followed by police and army.

People who are being tortured by Zanu-PF activists will be having opposing views.

“We also discovered these torturers will be mostly working with state security agents when dealing with their political rivals,” said Chikomo.

Chikomo added, “Police are the second worst torturers in Zimbabwe because almost all people arrested will be subject torture in order to make confessions on crimes they would have allegedly committed.”

He said most methods of torture used by Zimbabwe torturers are beatings on the soles of the feet, electric shocks, burning, rape and others.

The ZimRights boss also said Harare province has the highest number of people tortured by Zanu-PF activists and police since  year 2001 up to now standing  at 49 percent followed by Manicaland at 15 percent,Mashonaland East province 12 percent, Mashonaland Central  seven percent ,Midlands five percent ,Masvingo three percent, Bulawayo two percent and Matabeleland North at one percent.

He said Matabeleland South province has the least number of torturers at 0, 4 percent because Zanu-PF has given up on that province since it has been losing elections in that area for long time.

“There are more torture incidences reported in Harare, Manicaland and Mashonaland provinces because in 2008 after Zanu-PF lost more parliament seats  in those areas which used to be their strongholds , they started torturing people in revenge,” said Chikomo .

The anti- torture training workshop was attended by parliamentarians from MDC formations after Zanu-PF parliamentarians snubbed it.