A US magistrate has ruled that Zimbabwe's ruling party, Zanu-PF, should pay more than $73m in damages for violence against political opponents in the run-up to the country's June 2000 parliamentary election.

When we have a judgment, we will proceed from there

Bill Bowman, plaintiffs' lawyer

The plaintiffs - all citizens of Zimbabwe - filed the suit in the southern district of New York under a federal law that allows foreign nationals to claim compensation in the United States for injuries suffered in violation of international law.

They claim that Zanu-PF organized a campaign of terror designed to intimidate its political opposition through harassment, physical attacks and the assassination of targeted individuals.

The BBC's Barnaby Phillips says the case may embarrass the Zimbabwean Government and increase its sense of international isolation.

Stand-off

Robert Mugabe was controversially re-elected as president for Zanu-PF in separate elections earlier this year.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) again accused Zanu-PF of using violence in the presidential elections, and the United States and the European Union imposed a travel ban on Mr Mugabe and his closest associates, and froze their assets abroad.

The Zimbabwean Government has not reacted to the recommendation, but has in the past dismissed the legal action as a waste of time.

According to US law, a federal judge must approve the final figure, and the parties in the case have 10 days to file written objections to the magistrate's findings.

Opposition supporters accused the ruling party of harassment and intimidation

In his ruling, magistrate Judge James Francis said he was recommending Zanu-PF pay $53m in punitive damages and about $20m in compensatory damages.

The suit also claimed Zanu-PF members unlawfully seized and destroyed property.

Bill Bowman, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers, would not comment on whether the damages could be collected.

"When we have a judgment, we will proceed from there," Mr Bowman, a Washington DC lawyer with Hogan & Hartson, told Reuters news agency.

Torture claims

One of the plaintiffs, who says his brother was murdered by Zanu-PF supporters, told the BBC that he was more interested in justice than money.

However, he said his lawyers were now investigating the possibility of seizing Zanu-PF assets, either in the United States or in other countries.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was served with court papers while he was attending a UN millennium summit in New York in September 2000.

But he and other Zanu-PF officials failed to appear in court to answer the allegations.

In April, the plaintiffs testified that their relatives had been beaten, tortured and killed by Zanu-PF members.

They included Adella Chiminya, whose husband, an activist with the MDC was allegedly doused with fuel and burned before the parliamentary election in June 2000.

Elliot Pfebve, who stood as an MDC candidate in the same election, testified that his brother was assassinated by Zanu-PF supporters in a case of mistaken identity.