Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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December 25, 2008

Zimbabwe Police Ignore Order to Release Seized Activists
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=212D764:A6F02AD83191E160A62EC7882BE810AE21A4E82C900CD027&
 
Police defy court order to hospitalize Jestina Mukoko, eight
co-defendants accused of anti-government activities 
Police in Zimbabwe have defied a court order to hospitalize a human
rights activist accused of anti-government activities. Zimbabwean human
rights activist Jestina Mukoko arrives at magistrate's court in Harare,
24 Dec 2008On Wednesday, Zimbabwe's High Court ordered that Jestina
Mukoko and eight co-defendants be transferred to a Harare hospital,
under police guard, until their next court date on Monday. But lawyers
say police instead took the activists to an undisclosed location. Mukoko
and more than 20 other people were arrested in recent weeks for
allegedly recruiting people to overthrow the government. Lawyers say
Mukoko and fellow activists may have been tortured in custody. Mukoko
heads the Zimbabwe Peace Project and was taken from her home by armed
men on December 3. Prosecutors say she recruited people to go to
Botswana for military training. Botswana has denied the allegations. Her
arrest comes as opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan
Tsvangirai threatens to abandon power-sharing talks with the ruling
ZANU-PF party if his party members continue to be abducted. He said more
than 42 people, including members of his party, have been kidnapped in
the past two months. 

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.


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