Martial law, first declared in Rhodesia in September 1978 and subsequently extended to virtually the entire country, including the prisons, remained in force as FOCUS went to press. The position of Lord Soames's administration has been that martial law will only be lifted when the ceasefire is seen to be "effective". It appears that no steps will be taken to release persons detained without charge under the martial law regulations until that time. There are believed to be at least 7,000 martial law detainees, and possibly as many as 18,000 according to some reports.
Following the declaration of prisons as martial law areas in October 1979, the regime ruled that martial law detainees should be held incommunicado. They are not allowed to receive visitors or to engage in any correspondence with the outside world. They can also be required to do hard labour, as if they were convicted prisoners.
Trials by special courts martial, or military courts, however, have been halted by Lord Soames.
Under the martial law regulations, members of the Rhodesian security forces, including the police, auxiliaries and foreign mercenaries, have sweeping powers to take whatever action is considered necessary to suppress "terrorism" and maintain law and order. These powers remain at their disposal under Lord Soames's administration. The precise legal position is somewhat unclear in that Mr Richard Luce, the British Under Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, told the British House of Commons on 12 December that martial law had been "suspended" on the Governor's arrival in Salisbury that day. "It had been agreed by all the parties at Lancaster House that once the ceasefire had been finally agreed and implemented martial law would be removed altogether", he said.
