Zimbabwe activists found guilty of plotting mass protests

HARARE, March 19, 2012 (AFP)

Six Zimbabwean activists arrested a year ago at a meeting to discuss the Egyptian uprising risk up to 10 years in prison after they were convicted Monday of inciting public violence.

“The accused are found guilty as charged,” magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini said. “From the evidence on record, the court is of the view that the state’s evidence is credible.”

Dozens of anti-riot police officers armed with batons guarded the entrance to the Harare magistrate court as the verdict was read out.

Hearings on sentencing are scheduled to begin Tuesday. The six face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison or a $2,000 (1,500-euro) fine, or both.

They were among 45 activists arrested in February 2011 while watching a video of the protests which forced Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to step down.

The meeting had been meant to discuss lessons to be drawn from the Arab Spring, but the participants were accused of scheming to overthrow long-ruling President Robert Mugabe.

The six convicted Monday include Munyaradzi Gwisai, a university lecturer and former member of parliament from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party.

They had initially been charged with treason, but during the course of the court process, the charges were reduced. The other 39 people were cleared.

Gwisai told journalists outside court that the ruling was not “surprising.”

“We are not deterred, we are not intimidated,” he said.

“To the ordinary people, this is not surprising. This is a staple of what is happening in Africa and across the world. So we take it as it comes, the struggle continues,” he added.

Gwisai had told the court during his trial that the charges were “meaningless,” “outright silly” and “a case of political harassment by the
state.”

Mugabe and Tsvangirai formed a unity government three years ago in the wake of failed presidential elections that sparked nationwide attacks against Tsvangirai’s supporters, leaving more than 200 dead.

The power-sharing deal left Zimbabwe’s security forces firmly in Mugabe’s grip, and Tsvangirai supporters — including government ministers — remain the targets of arrests and intimidation.