Zimbabwe's last 'political prisoners' freed

Zimbabwe's last 'political prisoners' freed

• 8 MDC activists freed on bail - lawyer

• Lawyer 'puzzled' as Mukoko denied bail

• 'I was barefoot, with no pants on': Mukoko tells of moment she was abducted

• 'Incompetent lawyers' botched Mukoko freedom bid - judge

• Toddler held with parents in Mugabe plot freed

• Tsvangirai's adviser, 6 others charged in bomb plot

• Mukoko, 8 others to remain in jail until Jan. 4

• Judge rules Mukoko must see doctor

• Judge rules Mukoko must be treated in prison

• Magistrate rules activists must stay in jail as Tsvangirai deadline looms

• Mukoko says she was tortured, wants charges dropped

• Magistrate withholds contempt ruling on Mukoko and others

• Mukoko, 9 others charged with plot to overthrow Mugabe

Posted to the web: 20/04/2009 03:31:12
THE last three of Zimbabwe's so called "political prisoners" were released from detention late on Friday.

Shadreck Manyere, a freelance photojournalist, was held in the notorious Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison for nearly four months, accused of terrorism.

Ghandi Mudzingwa, formerly Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's personal assistant, was released from hospital where he had been admitted after numerous court actions.

Chris Dlamini, director of security in Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was also released. He had to be referred to hospital to have his ear reattached after long periods of assault and torture in detention, his lawyer said.

Mudzingwa, who has also told various courts he was tortured in custody, became critically ill in Chikurubi. Prison authorities had to transfer him to a private clinic, under heavy guard, after human rights lawyers warned he could die in custody.

The three were all abducted and disappeared for several weeks before they and other kidnapped MDC members and civil rights activists turned up in various police stations just before Christmas. Seven MDC members who were abducted in the same swoops by intelligence operatives are still missing.

All but a handful of the more than 30 people abducted are facing various security charges which the MDC says are "trumped up". - Cape Argus (SA)
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