The South Africa's Priority Crimes Litigation Unit of National Prosecuting Authority and the Directorate for the Priority Crime Investigation Unit of the Police Service are to open an investigation of the use of wide-spread rape by members of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's political party ZANU-PF as a political tool in the 2008 presidential election according to NGO AIDS Free World. A South African court ruled in 2012 that the country was obligated to investigate the charges due to international law obligations. This may be the first time that "universal jurisdiction" has been claimed in a rape case.
Evidence has been gathered from 84 victims in Zimbabwe that have identified over 200 perpetrators and organizers. According to the reports rapists would wear ZANU-PF shirts, sing party songs and made political statements. Victims would be taken to party camps that may be used during this year's election and raped on average at least five times but that may be an underestimate since many of the women fell unconscious during the rapes. None of the rapists have been charged by Zimbabwe authorities.
The investigation is seen as putting Mugabe on notice that he is being watched while a constitutional referendum and a national election go on this year. Zimbabwe refuses to ratify the International Criminal Court and is protected from investigation by China's UN veto. There are also reports that civil society leaders in Zimbabwe have been arrested or attacked in recent weeks in advance of the votes.
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