The award honours individuals who put their lives on the line to protect the dignity and rights of others.
The director of Mutare-based Centre for Research and Development, Maguwu has had several brushes with the law due to his work in exposing human rights abuses by Zimbabwe's security forces at the diamond fields.
"Human Rights Watch honours Farai Maguwu for his tremendous courage in exposing abuses in Zimbabwe's diamond fields and working to end rampant violations of human rights throughout the region," HRW said.
Maguwu's research has highlighted widespread beatings, torture, forced labour and killings of local villagers in Marange at the hands of soldiers controlled by President Robert Mugabe's Zanu (PF).
He was arrested in May 2010 for allegedly providing false information to then Kimberley Process monitor Abbey Chikane about killings and torture by military officials at the mine.
He was imprisoned for more than a month and denied medical care to punish him.
Post published in: News