Zimbabwe put an activist pastor, Evan Mawarire on trial,
after he was accused of attempting to subvert the government. The charge
carries up to 20 years in prison on conviction, following protests last year
against President Robert Mugabe’s handling of the economy.
Mawarire, through his #ThisFlag movement, led a stay-at-home
demonstration in 2016, the biggest protest in a decade, via a social media
campaign that urged citizens to speak out against economic problems and
government failure to pay workers.
Mawarire was arrested again for subversion on Sunday as he
stepped down from his pulpit after police accused him of circulating social
media posts that accused the government of wrecking the economy.
Appearing in maroon slacks at the High Court, the clergyman
pleaded not guilty to two charges of subverting the government and two charges
of inciting public violence. The latter carries a penalty of up to 10 years in
jail, Reuters reports.
State prosecutor Chris Mtungadura said social media posts by
Mawarire last year were meant to incite the population to overthrow the
government. The state has lined up eight witnesses.
“He was exercising his constitutional rights of challenging
the policies of government. This ... was done in a lawful manner,” defence
lawyer Harrison Nkomo told the court.
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