A Zimbabwe violence monitoring group says there has been an upswing in violence in the past month since the president said he will call elections this year.
The Zimbabwe Peace Project said Saturday that monitors reported a 15 percent increase in human rights violations "directly linked" to the new push for polls in 2012.
State media loyal to President Robert Mugabe on Saturday reported that he reiterated what he said in a broadcast marking his 88th birthday in February that he can call elections this year with or without democratic reforms.
Mugabe said if reforms are not adopted by May, he will proceed to polls to end a shaky three-year coalition with the former opposition, the state Herald newspaper said Saturday. - Sapa-AP
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