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Zimbabwe's
Facebook trial commences
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR)
August 02, 2011
The trial of
Bulawayo resident, Vikas Mavhudzi in connection with a facebook
posting is scheduled to commence on Wednesday 3 August 2011 at Tredgold
Magistrates Court before Magistrate Gideon Ruwetsa.
Mavhudzi, a
resident of Magwegwe high density suburb in Bulawayo, the country's
second largest city made history when he was nabbed by the police
on 24 February 2011 for allegedly posting a facebook remark on Prime
Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's wall. He was charged with subversion
after allegedly suggesting that Prime Minister Tsvangirai should
emulate pro-democracy protests staged in Egypt that saw long-time
dictator Hosni Mubarak fall to a popular street revolt.
State prosecutor,
Jeremiah Mutsindikwa, claims that the 39 year-old Mavhudzi sent
a message to Tsvangirai suggesting "the taking over or attempt
to take over the government by unconstitutional means or usurping
the functions of the government".
Mutsindikwa
says Mavhudzi allegedly wrote the following words on Tsvangirai's
facebook page: "I'm overwhelmed, don't know what
to say Mr PM. What happened in Egypt is sending shockwaves to all
dictators around the world. No weapon but unity of purpose. Worth
emulating, hey."
Mavhudzi languished
in remand prison for weeks after his arrest following the prosecutors'
argument that the threat of an Egyptian style revolution was real.
The Magistrate Court denied Mavhudzi bail.
He was only
freed after the intervention
of his lawyers Lizwe Jamela and Nosimilo Chanayiwa of Zimbabwe Lawyers
for Human Rights (ZLHR) successfully appealed against the Magistrate
Court's ruling at the High Court.
Apart from representing
Mavhudzi, ZLHR is currently representing former Highfield MP and
International Socialist Organisation leader Munyaradzi Gwisai and
five other social, economic justice and human rights activists namely,
anti-debt campaigner Hopewell Gumbo, Antonater Choto, the director
of the Zimbabwe Labour Centre, student leader Welcome Zimuto, Eddson
Chakuma and Tatenda Mombeyarara, whose treason
charge was recently watered down to conspiring to commit public
violence.
Gwisai and the five social, economic justice and human rights activists
were arrested in February and initially charged with plotting to
topple President Robert Mugabe using "Egyptian style"
revolts.
Visit the ZLHR
fact
sheet
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