In October 1976, the International Defence and Aid Fund published a Fact Paper listing the names of 1,839 convicted political prisoners, detainees and restrictees at that time held in prisons in Rhodesia. The Fact Paper was circulated to the delegations attending the Geneva constitutional talks.
In September 1979, all the evidence available to IDAF points to the conclusion that there are more political prisoners in Rhodesia than ever before. In a publication prepared for the start of constitutional talks at Lancaster House, London, the Fund has recorded the names of
- 1,503 convicted political prisoners currently serving sentences, the great majority under the Law and Order (Maintenance) Act
- 196 persons detained on an indefinite basis under the Emergency Powers (Maintenance of Law and Order) Regulations
- 152 persons sentenced to death since the introduction by the regime of secret hangings in April 1975. (A few of these are unnamed)
— a total of 1,851 political prisoners.
These are simply names that are known; hundreds of people have disappeared following their arrest by the police or security forces so that their present whereabouts and status are in doubt. Hundreds of others are at any time detained on a short term basis under the emergency regulations, which empower the police to hold suspects for interrogation purposes for up to 60 days without charge. Thousands of others are detained under martial law
