JURIST - Paper Chase: Zimbabwe slammed after secretly deporting alleged Equatorial Guinea coup plotter

[JURIST] A lawyer for British national Simon Mann [BBC profile], alleged to have plotted a coup against Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo [BBC profile] in 2004, accused Zimbabwean officials Monday of criminal conspiracy to kidnap after Mann was reportedly deported to Equatorial Guinea in secret before his appeal process against extradition was completed, according to the Guardian reported [text]. Last Thursday another lawyer for the suspected mercenary was barred from visiting him in prison, one day after an appeal seeking to prevent Mann's extradition to Equatorial Guinea was denied [JURIST report]. Jonathan Samukange Thursday filed a writ of habeas corpus and applied for an injunction barring extradition pending an appeal to the Zimbabwe Supreme Court, but Zimbabwean officials said that Mann had already been extradited that morning. Samukange has reportedly asked the International Court of Justice [Zimbabwe Guardian report] to intervene.

Mann was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted on weapons charges [JURIST report] in Zimbabwe in September 2004. His lawyers had argued that Mann would likely face torture and possibly the death penalty if he were extradited to Equatorial Guinea, but Equatorial Guinea has promised to give Mann a fair trial and not seek the death penalty.

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