Zim 70 face torture - Amnesty

2004-05-20 22:04

Johannesburg - Amnesty International came out on Thursday against the extradition to Equatorial Guinea of alleged mercenaries jailed in Zimbabwe.

The organisation said the men would be at grave risk of torture, unfair trial procedures and could face the death penalty in Equatorial Guinea.

"We have documented for years the routine use of torture in detention facilities in Equatorial Guinea," said Amnesty.

"Accused persons in that country are subjected to trial proceedings which routinely fail to meet international standards of fair trial. When imposed, the death penalty is swiftly applied."

The 70 alleged mercenaries, most of them South Africans, were arrested at Harare International Airport two months ago when they landed to refuel and pick up military equipment.

They were linked to a group of 15 men arrested on March 9 in Malabo in Equatorial Guinea for allegedly plotting a coup against that country's President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo.

Risk of human rights violations

In April, fears surfaced that the men would be sent to Equatorial Guinea after Zimbabwe announced it had added the country to the list of states it has extradition agreements with.

The men arrested in Zimbabwe have been charged with a number of offences under Zimbabwean law.

"The Zimbabwean government should not hand over the detainees to Equatorial Guinea because of the serious risk of human rights violations," Amnesty said.

The organisation said it supported the SA Human Rights Commission's recent call on the South African government to defend the rights of its citizens detained in Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea.

"The South African government should investigate the grounds for requesting their extradition to South Africa in terms of the Foreign Military Assistance Act and oppose the extradition of any of its citizens in Zimbabwe to Equatorial Guinea," Amnesty said.

- SAPA