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Zimbabwe activist freed on bail | Zimbabwe activist freed on bail |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Prominent Zimbabwean human rights activist Jestina Mukoko has been freed after three months in custody. | Prominent Zimbabwean human rights activist Jestina Mukoko has been freed after three months in custody. |
But Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe told the BBC she remains in hospital, where she had been under police guard. | But Zimbabwean journalist Brian Hungwe told the BBC she remains in hospital, where she had been under police guard. |
Ms Mukoko was accused of attempting to recruit people for military training to try to overthrow Robert Mugabe. | Ms Mukoko was accused of attempting to recruit people for military training to try to overthrow Robert Mugabe. |
New Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had said he would not join a unity government unless Ms Mukoko and other activists were freed from jail. | New Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai had said he would not join a unity government unless Ms Mukoko and other activists were freed from jail. |
Several other activists were also reported to have been released. | |
Ms Mukoko's lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, said her client had been ordered to pay $600 in bail, surrender her passport and hand over the deeds to her house as surety, the AFP news agency reports. | |
"It's good she has been released, but she is still restricted," Ms Mtetwa said. | |
Ms Mukoko must continue to report to the police and is still facing charges, all of which she denies, her lawyer added. | |
Torture claim | |
Mr Tsvangirai says the detentions are threatening the unity governmentMs Mukoko, director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project, was allegedly seized from her house outside Harare on 3 December by 15 armed men. | |
Her whereabouts were unknown for three weeks, during which time members of lawyers' groups staged protests against her abduction. | |
In an unusual move, a High Court judge ordered police to search for her and told the national Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation to run radio and television appeals for information. | |
The authorities then confirmed that she had been detained by the security forces. | The authorities then confirmed that she had been detained by the security forces. |
She was one of 16 people charged with attempting to overthrow Mr Mugabe's government and replace it with one headed by Mr Tsvangirai. | |
Following a previous court appearance, a judge ordered that she receive medical treatment after she said she had been tortured. | Following a previous court appearance, a judge ordered that she receive medical treatment after she said she had been tortured. |
'Obstruction' | |
In December, Mr Tsvangirai told the BBC that the abductions of activists were "deliberate attempts to decimate, intimidate and harass the opposition". | |
He was later criticised by some of his supporters for joining the power-sharing government before Ms Mukoko and about 30 other detainees had been freed. | |
Last week, Mr Tsvangirai said their continuing detention was threatening the power-sharing agreement with Mr Mugabe's Zanu-PF party, and accused the attorney general's office of "wilfully obstructing" their release. | |
Dozens of activists remain in prison, including senior MDC member Roy Bennett, who faces charges including terrorism and illegal arms possession. | |
Mr Bennett denies the charges, and the MDC has said his arrest was designed to derail the fledgling unity government. |