Amnesty International's Secretary General Irene Khan asks Zimbabwe's PM to prioritize human rights

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai told Amnesty International's chief Irene Khan that the direction for reform had been set in the country. During talks in London on Monday, Mr Tsvangirai also said he was committed to ensuring the implementation of the human rights provisions included in the political agreement signed by all main political parties, which provides a framework for change.

Ms Khan met Tsvangirai just days after she returned from a six-day mission to Zimbabwe during which she met senior government officials, human rights defenders and victims of human rights abuses.

"While there is less political violence now in Zimbabwe, the human rights situation remains fragile and the social and economic situation is grim," said Ms Khan after the meeting. "Prime Minister Tsvangirai acknowledged the challenges facing his country."

Ms Khan added that Amnesty International would be closely monitoring the situation in Zimbabwe for the next 100 days and hoped to see Prime Minister Tsvangirai's words translated into action.