U.N., EU wary on extra Zimbabwe sanctions

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Stepping up sanctions on Zimbabwe over a government crackdown on the opposition could end up hurting the country's citizens more than its leaders, senior United Nations and European Union officials said on Thursday.

The United States said on Wednesday it was looking at additional sanctions it might impose on Harare after the detention and beating of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and others sparked world condemnation.

"Sanctions have to be weighed very carefully because of experiences we've had in the past whereby sanctions have had a counter-productivity against innocent citizens of a particular country," U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro told reporters in Brussels.

Rights groups say 50 opposition figures, including Tsvangirai, were maltreated after their arrest during a prayer meeting on Sunday organized by a coalition of opposition, church and civic groups to discuss Zimbabwe's problems.

EU aid commissioner Louis Michel also warned of the possible consequences of sanctions.

"If these are sanctions that directly or indirectly affect the population or hit the minimum welfare they have a right to, I cannot accept that," he said after meeting Migiro.

Michel said he had nothing against sanctions that did not affect the population but said of measures targeted at leaders: "I am not sure they work."

The 27-nation EU last month extended for another year its sanctions on Zimbabwe, including an arms embargo, travel ban and asset freeze on President Robert Mugabe and other top officials.

In 2002 and 2003, the United States placed financial and visa restrictions on some Zimbabwean individuals, banned transfers of military supplies and suspended non-humanitarian aid to the government. In 2005, it included family members of those originally targeted.

A U.S. official said on Wednesday Washington was looking at ways to punish the regime without affecting the population, hit by 80 percent unemployment and shortages of food and fuel.

Michel strongly condemned the government crackdown, saying it breached democracy and human rights.

Migiro said U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon had "made very clear to the government of Zimbabwe" that it should respect human rights and freedom of expression.