As the 2005 elections approach, Zanzibar Government under President Amani Abeid Karume has embarked on serious exercise of tortures and intrigues which are reminiscent of the era of his father, the once dreaded Abeid Amani Karume.

The communist style framing up of bogus charges and inhuman tortures are back in practice. Many people are now being dragged out of their houses in the midst of the night as it used to be in the 60s. They disappear for several days before they come out with evidence of brutal handling and humiliation under police custody. Although they are taken to court, inevitably the charges are dropped.

These are signs of a government in desperate effort to maintain hold on power by hook or crook, often entailing serious abuse of human rights. If left unchecked, this heinous track will result in serious trauma on the people of Zanzibar.

We attach herewith two statements which are perhaps milder samples of what is happening and we call on the international community to respond accordingly so that these acts of bestiality are put on end and the people of Zanzibar are allowed to prepare peacefully for free and fair elections in October next year.

The Civic United Front, CUF, as always is dedicated to peaceful and harmonious politics and we assure the Government of Zanzibar and the international community that we shall not spare any efforts to expose criminal activities and will help the government to bring them to justice in the civilized manner prescribed by the laws and practice of all civilized communities. But we shall not condone any violations of the privacy and safety of individuals, no matter their political affiliations.

"I, Mohammed Ali Maalim, 42, am resident of Daraja Bovu, Zanzibar. I am married with four children, with whom I live together with ten other relatives who depend on me. I am a porter at Zanzibar Port, but I can not work now because my right shoulder has been immobilized because of police beating.

I am a delegate to the National Congress of the Civic United Front, CUF. I am also a delegate to the Zanzibar Urban District Congress and a member of the Executive Committee of Zanzibar Urban District.

On the eve of 28th March, 2004, a Sunday, some police men came to my house and knocked at the door. I refused to open but they decided to use force and they manage to break into the yard around 12: 30 a.m. They eventually threatened the children, who were sleeping in the backyard room, into opening the door for them.

When they got in, they immediately started beating me up in front of my wife and children. Then they dragged me up to their car which was some distance from the house. They dumped me into the boot. It was narrow and very hot and I could not see where we were going. But eventually we arrived at Ng’ambo Police Station, where again I was dragged in a rough manner into the station.

There were many at the counter and they were ordered to take me to a room on the left, where they started tom beat and kick me in front of their superiors whom I could recognize. They included Kimario and Nuurdin who seemed amused by this bestiality. The police men were dressed in civilian.

They pulled my manhood so forcefully that I have now ended impotent. They also badly hurt my right shoulder. Eventually they took me back to the boot and drove me to Mwanakwerekwe Police Station where we arrived around 3:30-4:00 a.m. There came George Kizuguto and Kimario and the latter told me: “Now you will pay the Sheha whose house was set on fire.”

I did not reply, so they left. I stayed awake till morning reflecting on this humiliation. I left my wife behind very ill because she had just miscarried and I was personally looking after her. Now there was nobody to take care of her.

On Sunday around 9:00-10:00 a.m, came those police men who had dragged me from my house and said: “Give us our men”. They took home where they ransacked they house up to the toilet, but they could not anything incriminating. They decided to take my track suit, two T- shirts and two pairs of shoes.

They also took several personal items, especially documents connected with my membership of CUF and even such trivial things like old East African currency. They even took a bag containing chicken meal and electricity receipts.

They took me to Ziwani Police Headquarters, where they continued to torture me, urging me to tell them the truth, when I did not what truth they wanted to find out.

On the 3rd day, they went back to my house without me and forced themselves in without even knocking at the door. They forced my wife to give them the bag containing files which they had not taken on the first search. There was no witness, not even the Sheha.

On the 4th day, after I had been returned to mwankwerekwe, they came and took me to ziwani again where I was humiliated and coerced to say things I did not know. One police man asked me I was ‘Basha’ (active homosexual). I told him that I was not. He told me: “If you are not ‘Basha’, then you will start today by doing it on me”. They continued to humiliate me to the extent of forcing me to bend so that I could suck my own male organ. Then they ordered me to stretch my legs and they cudgeled my thighs with big sticks and stamped on me with their boots. Then they lifted my face and gave me severe blows.

This was the deliberate inhumanity committed on me. They had not found me with any bombs or dynamites as they claimed they were suspecting. Nothing had they took from my house could connect me even remotely with any bombings activities.

I am a lawful member and leader of the CUF and there is nothing wrong with me keeping in my house any items or documents connected with that party.

After nine days of torture under police custody, they took me to court where I was charged with arson in connection with the setting on fire of the Sheha’s house. I am now out on bail of Tshs. 200, 000 cash and immovable property plus sureties.

I confirm this statement has been made by me personally, willingly and without being forced by anyone to do so."

"I, Abdullah Khamis Hamad, 47, am resident of Tomondo Zanzibar. I have a wife and six children. I worked for the Police force between 1979-2003, and am now a fishmonger.

On Saturday of 3rd April 2004 at 12: 20 a.m. about twelve police men broke into my house and dragged me out. They beat me terribly in front of my wife, Hamida Juma Hamad, 38, and she collapsed.

They then took me to Mwanakwerekwe Police Station. On the following day, they went and searched my house. They did not find anything incriminating.

After six days, I was taken to court and charged with setting on fire a police car. I was given tough bail conditions of Tshs. 100, 000 cash and a bond of 5 million shillings.

I get terrible headache and I have scratches on my neck as a result of being throttled by the police. My eyesight has also diminished because of the police beating."