News / National
Zimbabwe to sue EU over sanctions
06 Sep 2011 at 17:15hrs | Views
Zimbabwe has given the European Union (EU) a two week ultimatum to explain its motive behind imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe and his inner circle or face litigation, state media said on Tuesday.
EU slapped Zimbabwean companies, Mugabe and his cronies with targeted sanctions that included travel bans close to a decade ago citing alleged human rights violations. It also encouraged Brotten Woods Institutions not to deal with Zimbabwe.
The sanctions were also targeted at state owned companies that were allegedly used by Mugabe to suppress human rights.
The attorney general Johannes Tomana wrote to the president of the council of the EU, Greece on September 1, threatening the legal action.
Tomana said Zimbabwe will lodge its lawsuit at the General Court of European Court of Justice if it does not get a satisfactory answer from Greece.
"Unless I hear from you in the next 14 days, I shall be taking steps as may be necessary and appropriate to protect the rights and interest of the government of Zimbabwe and all the natural and legal persons and entities, subjects to the restrictive measures in terms of your aforesaid decisions," reads part of the letter.
Zimbabwe is accusing the EU of basing its decision to impose sanctions on media reports and those of non governmental organisations that cannot withstand judicial scrutiny.
The EU in 2002 joined the United States in imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe following the disputed presidential poll where Mugabe controversially beat then opposition leader and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Early this year, the United States and the European bloc extended the sanctions by another year despite the formation of a unity government in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe insists Britain influenced other EU countries to support sanctions because it was angry that he had taken away land from white commercial farmers which he re-distributed to blacks.
The 87-year old says the sanctions were meant to force Zimbabweans to turn against him.
Zanu-PF says it has gathered two million signatures for a petition against the sanctions.
EU slapped Zimbabwean companies, Mugabe and his cronies with targeted sanctions that included travel bans close to a decade ago citing alleged human rights violations. It also encouraged Brotten Woods Institutions not to deal with Zimbabwe.
The sanctions were also targeted at state owned companies that were allegedly used by Mugabe to suppress human rights.
The attorney general Johannes Tomana wrote to the president of the council of the EU, Greece on September 1, threatening the legal action.
Tomana said Zimbabwe will lodge its lawsuit at the General Court of European Court of Justice if it does not get a satisfactory answer from Greece.
"Unless I hear from you in the next 14 days, I shall be taking steps as may be necessary and appropriate to protect the rights and interest of the government of Zimbabwe and all the natural and legal persons and entities, subjects to the restrictive measures in terms of your aforesaid decisions," reads part of the letter.
The EU in 2002 joined the United States in imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe following the disputed presidential poll where Mugabe controversially beat then opposition leader and now Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai.
Early this year, the United States and the European bloc extended the sanctions by another year despite the formation of a unity government in Zimbabwe.
Mugabe insists Britain influenced other EU countries to support sanctions because it was angry that he had taken away land from white commercial farmers which he re-distributed to blacks.
The 87-year old says the sanctions were meant to force Zimbabweans to turn against him.
Zanu-PF says it has gathered two million signatures for a petition against the sanctions.
Source - thereport
