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Treason charges dropped in uprising case
Associated Press
July 19, 2011

http://news.yahoo.com/treason-charges-dropped-uprising-case-192819247.html

Zimbabwe state prosecutors on Monday withdrew treason charges against six activists accused of plotting an "Egyptian-style" uprising to oust Zimbabwe's longtime President Robert Mugabe.

Earlier in the day, prosecutors also announced they were withdrawing corruption charges against Zimbabwe's Energy Minister, Elton Mangoma, a founder of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's former opposition party.

A former legislator in Tsvangirai's party was also among the six activists who were charged with inciting violence instead of treason for hold a meeting in February to watch videos of unrest in Egypt and discuss democratic reform.

Tsvangirai's party cited both cases as intimidation against its ministers and officials.

Police arrested 39 people at the meeting Feb. 19 but all were later freed on bail. Most of the suspects reported being assaulted in police custody. Six still face treason charges.

Treason carries a possible death sentence in Zimbabwe, while the new charges carry a penalty of imprisonment or a fine.

The six will be tried on Aug. 22.

Last month, Mangoma was acquitted on lack of evidence over allegations that he bypassed governmental procedures by buying gasoline from a South African firm in January. That decision led State Prosecutor Christopher Mutangadura to announce the dropping of the second set of charges.

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