Further information on UA: 128/10 Index: AFR 46/008/2010 Issue Date: 13 July 2010

Many thanks to all who sent appeals. No further action from the Urgent Action network is needed at this time.

On 12 July, Zimbabwean human rights defender Farai Maguwu was granted bail following more than one month in detention for carrying out his human rights work. He still faces a charge of “publishing or communicating false information prejudicial to the state” after he exposed human rights violations in Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields.

On 26 May, Farai Maguwu, director of the Zimbabwean NGO, the Centre for Research and Development (CRD), spoke about human rights violations by security forces to the man monitoring Zimbabwe's compliance with the Kimberley Process – an international mechanism certifying that diamonds are free from links to violence. The following day, Farai Maguwu's home, and the office of the CRD were raided by armed security agents. The agents confiscated his car, computer, passport and other documents. His nephew Lisbern Maguwu was arrested in the raid. He and other members of Farai Maguwu’s family were beaten and interrogated by police. Farai Maguwu escaped and went into hiding, but handed himself in to police on 3 June.

On 2 July, a Harare magistrate denied Farai Maguwu bail after the state prosecutor said more time was needed to complete investigations. His lawyers subsequently appealed against the magistrate’s decision, and it was overturned on 12 July. Farai Maguwu is likely to be tried in the coming months. Amnesty International will continue to monitor his case.

Many thanks to all who sent appeals. No further action from the Urgent Action network is needed at this time.

This is the second update of UA: 128/10 (AFR 46/005/2010). Further information: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AFR46/005/2010/en

Further information on UA: 128/10 Index: AFR 46/008/2010 Issue Date: 13 July 2010