Zimbabwe Convicts Six of Plotting to Incite Violence

Posted March 19th, 2012 at 12:50 pm (UTC-5)
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A Zimbabwean court has convicted six activists of plotting to incite violence with the goal of ousting President Robert Mugabe in an Egypt-style uprising.

The defendants were arrested in February of last year during a gathering to watch video of protests in Egypt and discuss events unfolding there.

The meeting was led by Munyaradzi Gwisai, a former opposition lawmaker with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change .

Gwisai told VOA that he was not shaken by the verdict and vowed to appeal the conviction. He said the verdict was politically motivated.

The suspects are scheduled to be sentenced on Tuesday. They face up to 10 years in prison.

President Mugabe and his supporters have been accused of harassing and intimidating critics, including members of Mr. Tsvangirai's MDC party.

The prime minister's MDC party and President Mugabe's ZANU-PF party formed a power-sharing government in 2009 after a disputed election.

The MDC has rejected calls by ZANU-PF for new elections this year, saying Zimbabwe must first have a new constitution.