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: JURIST - The Paper Chase

Human rights activist Jestina Mukoko allegedly poisoned in Zimbabwe prison

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

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[JURIST] Imprisoned Zimbabwe human rights activist and head of Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP) Jestina Mukoko has allegedly been tortured and forced by prison officials to ingest drugs, according to a report in South Africa's Sunday Independent. The torture and poisoning has allegedly taken place in Mukoko's solitary confinement cell at Chikurubi Maximum Security prison where she is being held on charges of attempting to overthrow the government of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe. This news comes after a high court rejected Mukoko's petition for release to receive medical treatment on Friday. Mukoko's attorney Beatrice Mtetwa has ordered a toxicology test to corroborate the allegations, saying that Mukoko is psychologically traumatized and it is not sure that she has been able to tell the whole story about her treatment because of the constant presence of state officials. Mukoko, who played a key role in monitoring and publicizing the violence that has occurred before and after the recent Zimbabwe presidential elections and the run-off elections that followed, was apprehended from her home on December 3 and held in an undisclosed location for several weeks because of her alleged involvement in Mugabe's opposition. Rumors of mistreatment have alarmed human rights groups worldwide and compelled worldwide protest.

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on January 04, 2009 (boomark / email).