URGENT ACTION APPEAL
- From Amnesty International USA
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For a print-friendly version of this Urgent Action (PDF):
http://www.amnestyusa.org/actioncenter/actions/uaa12810.pdf
Note: Please write on behalf of these persons even though you may not have
received the original UA when issued on June 11, 2010. Thanks!
18 June 2010
Further information on UA 128/10 (11 June 2010) - Prisoner of conscience/Fear for safety
ZIMBABWE Farai Maguwu (m) and his family
Farai Maguwu's bail appeal was heard in the High Court in Harare on 17 June. The judge postponed making a ruling until Monday 21 June. There is reasonable assumption that the government of Zimbabwe intends to keep him in custody so he can not attend a Kimberly Process (KP) meeting.
The KP meeting is to determine whether Zimbabwe has met the KP standards to trade diamonds from Marange whose mining has been tainted by allegations of gross human rights violations by the security forces. Farai Maguwu has been placed on remand until 23 June, the day the KP meeting in Israel will end.
On Friday 11 June, officers from the Law and Order Section of the Zimbabwe Republic Police illegally removed Farai Maguwu from Harare Central Remand Prison, without the knowledge or consent of his lawyers or the court that remanded him to the prison. He was taken to Matapi police station, which the Zimbabwe Supreme Court has previously stated is not fit for human incarceration. On 12 June he was taken to Harare Central police station, where he was subject to lengthy interrogations and threats on his life. Police prevented Farai Maguwu from seeing his lawyers, stating that the lawyers could only have access to him in the presence of Law and Order officers, who were not available. Attempts by Farai Maguwu's family to give him food were also denied. On 15 June, Farai was returned to Harare Central Remand Prison.
Amnesty is concerned about the reported denial of access to treatment and alleged tampering with Farai Maguwu's medication by unidentified persons while he was being illegally detained at Harare Central police station. Despite a court order on 10 June, for Farai Maguwu to receive an immediate medical examination, he did not receive medical attention until 16 June. The doctor who examined Farai Maguwu has stated that his health has been compromised, and that he was in urgent need of further investigation and treatment for a throat infection. On 17 June,,Farai Maguwu was admitted at Avenues Clinic, a private hospital in Harare.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Human rights defender Farai Maguwu was arrested on 3 June after passing on information about human rights abuses to an independent monitor of the diamond trade. Farai Maguwu is being held in Harare Central Remand Prison. He is a prisoner of conscience, held for carrying out his human rights work.
The Centre for Research and Development is a member of the Kimberley Process Civil Society Coalition, an official observer of the Kimberly Process (KP). The international programme was set up in 2003, which certifies rough diamonds as being free from links to violence. The CRD has been central in investigating human rights violations by state security agents against local people in Zimbabwe's Marange diamond fields.
In 2009, KP officials visited Zimbabwe and investigated human rights violations by state security agents, and diamond smuggling conducted by the military in Marange. As a result of these findings, in November 2009, KP in cooperation with Zimbabwe, implemented a supervised export mechanism for diamonds from Marange, to address Zimbabwe's non-compliance with KP's standards.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible:
- Calling for immediate and unconditional release of Farai Maguwu;
- Expressing concern over denial of access to medical treatment and allege tampering with Farai Maguwu's treatment when he was detained at Harare Central Police Station;
- Urging the Attorney General and the two co-Ministers of Home Affairs to investigate the circumstances around police removal of Farai Maguwu from Harare Central Remand Prison without the knowledge or consent of his lawyers or the court that remanded him to the prison, hold those responsible to account.
APPEALS TO:
Attorney General
Johannes Tomana
Causeway
Private Bag 7714
Harare, ZIMBABWE
Fax: 011 263 4 777 049
Salutation: Dear Attorney General
Co-Minister of Home Affairs
Kembo Mohadi
Ministry of Home Affairs
11 Floor Mukwati Building
Private Bag 7703
Harare, ZIMBABWE
Salutation: Dear Minister
Co-Minister of Home Affairs
Giles Mutseyekwa
Ministry of Home Affairs
11 Floor Mukwati Building
Private Bag 7703
Harare, ZIMBABWE
Salutation: Dear Minister
COPIES TO:
Ambassador Dr. Machivenyika T. Mapuranga
Embassy of the Republic of Zimbabwe
1608 New Hampshire Ave., NW
Washington DC 20009
Fax: 1 202 483 9326
Email: info33@zimbabwe-embassy.us
PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.
Check with the AIUSA Urgent Action office if sending appeals after July 30, 2010.
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Amnesty International is a worldwide grassroots movement that promotes and defends human rights.
This Urgent Action may be reposted if kept intact, including contact information and stop action date (if applicable). Thank you for your help with this appeal.
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Email: uan@aiusa.org
http://www.amnestyusa.org/urgent/
Phone: 202.544.0200
Fax: 202.675.8566
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END OF URGENT ACTION APPEAL
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