Jestina Mukoko
Encyclopedia
Jestina Mukoko is a Zimbabwe
an human rights activist and the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project
. She is a journalist
by training and a former newsreader
with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
.
In March 2010 Jestina Mukoko was one of ten human rights defenders honoured in the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award
s to women who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advancing women's rights.
. Dumisani Muleya of Business Day
reported that she had been "abducted by suspected state agents for allegedly being involved in plans for anti government demonstrations."
She subsequently told The Independent
that she was taken away for interrogation about her NGO, the Peace Project, then accused of recruiting youths for military training with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
. She was beaten on the soles of her feet with rubber truncheons (allegedly a favourite torture instrument of the regime in Zimbabwe because they leave no marks likely to be visible at later court appearances).
After three days she was handed over to another group of interrogators who claimed they were "law and order" officials. She was threatened with "extinction" if she chose not to be a witness to the alleged cases of military training.
Prominent world figures including Gordon Brown
and Condoleezza Rice
demanded her release. The so-called "Group of Elders", including Jimmy Carter
, Kofi Annan
and Graca Machel
, who at the time were being refused admission to Zimbabwe, made an appeal for Mukoko's release at a news conference in South Africa.
The Zimbabwe High Court ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police
to look for Mukoko. The order was ignored by the police who denied knowledge of her whereabouts.
Meanwhile Mukoko had been forced to kneel on gravel for hours while being interrogated in an attempt to force her to sign a statement that she had recruited an ex-policeman to the supposed plot. Her medical condition deteriorated and she was eventually given medicine to treat serious allergies. She was forced to read statements to camera and pressurised to admit links to the former policeman Fidelis Mudimu. She overheard someone say they were at the King George VI Barracks outside Harare.
She was eventually told that she and another abductee, her colleague, Broderick Takawera, were in police custody. She was moved around between different police stations and forced to accompany police on searches of her home and office.
On 24 December the state-run Herald
newspaper reported that Mukoko had appeared in court in Harare
on charges of attempting to recruit people for military training to try to overthrow the government. She had not been able to consult with lawyers. She appeared in court with seven other abductees, including a 72-year-old man and a two-year-old boy whose father and mother, Violet Mupfuranhehwe and Collen Mutemagawo, were also in detention.
In March 2009, three months after her abduction, Jestina Mukoko was released on bail. Her bail conditions required her to report to her local police station in Norton on a weekly basis and surrender her passport.
On 21 September 2009 the Zimbabwe Supreme Court ordered a permanent stay of criminal proceedings against Jestina Mukoko. Amnesty International welcomed the decision, commenting that the charges were widely believed to have been trumped up by the Mugabe government as part of a wider strategy to silence perceived political opponents.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
an human rights activist and the director of the Zimbabwe Peace Project
Zimbabwe Peace Project
Zimbabwe Peace Project also known as ZPP is a human rights monitoring group in Zimbabwe. It has critical of the Human rights situation in Zimbabwe and its Director Jestina Mukoko and were abducted by secret Police and freed only after Zimbabwe High Court orders. ZPP alleged she had been kidnapped....
. She is a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
by training and a former newsreader
News presenter
A news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
with the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation is the state-controlled broadcaster in Zimbabwe. It succeeded the Voice of Zimbabwe Rhodesia in 1980, which in turn had succeeded the Rhodesian Broadcasting Corporation in 1979...
.
In March 2010 Jestina Mukoko was one of ten human rights defenders honoured in the U.S. State Department's International Women of Courage Award
International Women of Courage Award
The International Women of Courage Award is awarded annually by the United States Department of State to women around the world who have shown leadership, courage, resourcefulness and willingness to sacrifice for others, especially for better promotion of women's rights. The award was founded by...
s to women who have shown exceptional courage and leadership in advancing women's rights.
Abduction and detention
On December 3, 2008 Jestina Mukoko was abducted during the night from her home north of HarareHarare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
. Dumisani Muleya of Business Day
Business Day (South Africa)
Business Day is a daily national business newspaper published in Johannesburg, South Africa....
reported that she had been "abducted by suspected state agents for allegedly being involved in plans for anti government demonstrations."
She subsequently told The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
that she was taken away for interrogation about her NGO, the Peace Project, then accused of recruiting youths for military training with the opposition Movement for Democratic Change
Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai
The Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe is a political party and the largest party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe. It is the main formation formed from the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005.-Foundation:...
. She was beaten on the soles of her feet with rubber truncheons (allegedly a favourite torture instrument of the regime in Zimbabwe because they leave no marks likely to be visible at later court appearances).
After three days she was handed over to another group of interrogators who claimed they were "law and order" officials. She was threatened with "extinction" if she chose not to be a witness to the alleged cases of military training.
Prominent world figures including Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
and Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice
Condoleezza Rice is an American political scientist and diplomat. She served as the 66th United States Secretary of State, and was the second person to hold that office in the administration of President George W. Bush...
demanded her release. The so-called "Group of Elders", including Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, Kofi Annan
Kofi Annan
Kofi Atta Annan is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the UN from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2006...
and Graca Machel
Graça Machel
Graça Machel, DBE is a Mozambican politician and humanitarian. She is the third wife of former South African president Nelson Mandela and the widow of Mozambican president Samora Machel...
, who at the time were being refused admission to Zimbabwe, made an appeal for Mukoko's release at a news conference in South Africa.
The Zimbabwe High Court ordered the Zimbabwe Republic Police
Zimbabwe Republic Police
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is the national police force of Zimbabwe, known until July 1980 as the British South Africa Police. -Structure:...
to look for Mukoko. The order was ignored by the police who denied knowledge of her whereabouts.
Meanwhile Mukoko had been forced to kneel on gravel for hours while being interrogated in an attempt to force her to sign a statement that she had recruited an ex-policeman to the supposed plot. Her medical condition deteriorated and she was eventually given medicine to treat serious allergies. She was forced to read statements to camera and pressurised to admit links to the former policeman Fidelis Mudimu. She overheard someone say they were at the King George VI Barracks outside Harare.
She was eventually told that she and another abductee, her colleague, Broderick Takawera, were in police custody. She was moved around between different police stations and forced to accompany police on searches of her home and office.
On 24 December the state-run Herald
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
The Herald is a government owned daily newspaper published in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe.-Origins:The newspaper's origins date back to the 19th century. Its forerunner was launched on June 27 1891 by W E Fairbridge for the Argus group of South Africa...
newspaper reported that Mukoko had appeared in court in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
on charges of attempting to recruit people for military training to try to overthrow the government. She had not been able to consult with lawyers. She appeared in court with seven other abductees, including a 72-year-old man and a two-year-old boy whose father and mother, Violet Mupfuranhehwe and Collen Mutemagawo, were also in detention.
In March 2009, three months after her abduction, Jestina Mukoko was released on bail. Her bail conditions required her to report to her local police station in Norton on a weekly basis and surrender her passport.
On 21 September 2009 the Zimbabwe Supreme Court ordered a permanent stay of criminal proceedings against Jestina Mukoko. Amnesty International welcomed the decision, commenting that the charges were widely believed to have been trumped up by the Mugabe government as part of a wider strategy to silence perceived political opponents.