Africa

[Colr]

Not commenting on the actual case here but to what extent did we require improvements in human rights as a condition attached to the huge sum of cash we gave them around G8.

Havinf been deported, Mann is likely to be consigned to Black Beach Prison in the capital, Malabo.

In 2005, Amnesty International reported that inmates in Black Beach were in danger of starving to death, surviving on daily rations of a cup of rice and one or two bread rolls. Some prisoners had routinely gone without food for up to six days. A new wing has been built and the authorities say that conditions have improved but Equatorial Guinea has one of Africa's worst human rights records. Mann's appeal against extradition was dismissed on the day that Equatorial Guinea withdrew an invitation to Manfred Nowak, the United Nations special rapporteur on torture, who had been invited to gather "first-hand information" about detention facilities. The regime has, however, pledged to refrain from executing Mann.

Probably none seeing as we are so happy to cosy up to a shower of despots like the Saudis.