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Treason charges against Munyaradzi Gwisai & others - Index of articles
Shock and outrage at conviction of the Zimbabwe six
Crisis
in Zimbabwe Coalition
March 21, 2012
Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition is shocked and outraged at the conviction of six activists
by Harare Regional Magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini on the charge
of conspiracy to commit public violence in contravention of section
188 of the Criminal
Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The six convicted activists
are law lecturer Munyaradzi Gwisai (44), anti-debt campaigner Hopewell
Gumbo (32), Zimbabwe Labour Centre director Ms Antoneta Choto (36),
student leader Welcome Zimuto (25), and social activists Eddson
Chakuma (38) and Tatenda Mombeyarara (29).
The six
activists were among 45 people arrested on the 19th of February
in 2011, during a meeting where a video on the uprisings in Egypt
was shown. The court ruled that the way in which the six watched
the video of Egypt uprisings shows that they intended to engage
in similar uprisings in Zimbabwe. Following their arrest, all six
activists were severely tortured while in police custody and spent
some 27 days in jail before being released on stringent bail conditions.
The conviction
of the six is a serious indictment of Zimbabwe's judiciary.
Over 200 MDC supporters
were killed during the 2008 elections with little action from
the police, and yet, only political grounds, six individuals are
found guilty of conspiracy to commit public violence by watching
a video. It is mind-boggling that the State prosecutor is pressing
for the maximum penalty of ten years in prison for the six. Sentence
is expected later today.
We call upon
local and international civil society groups and activists to stand
in solidarity with the Zimbabwe Six and demand their immediate and
unconditional release. Political persecution must stop now. We demand
a full restoration of the rule of law under the stewardship of an
independent, professional and non-partisan judiciary.
Visit the Crisis
in Zimbabwe fact
sheet
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