Award-winning Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga, and Julie Gabriel Barnes have been convicted of inciting public violence.
Dangarembga has been on trial since her brief arrest in July 2020 for participating in an anti-government protest. The duo were arrested in 2020 and charged with participating in a public gathering with the intention to promote public violence, breach of peace or bigotry as defined in Section 37(1)(b) of the Criminal Code.
They have been on trial over the last two years on charges of inciting public violence after participating in a demonstration in the Borrowdale suburb in Harare while holding some placards inscribed “Free Hopewell, free Jacob #Zimbabwe”, “We want better reform our institution” and “Free our journalists”.
Award-winning journalist, Hopewell Chin’ono and Transform Zimbabwe leader Jacob Ngarivhume had been arrested on 20 July 2020 for inciting public violence after they allegedly rallied people to participate in a foiled demonstration that had been slated for 31 July 2020.
Ngarivhume was released on bail after 43 days in prison while Chin’ono was released after spending 17 days in the overcrowded Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison.
Both women called for political reforms at the demonstration in Harare, which the authorities branded a breach of coronavirus protocols and an incitement to public violence.
The magistrate on Thursday said the pictures of them protesting were shared on social media and could have provoked a breach of the peace by encouraging the general public to participate.
The presiding judge handed them a three-month jail term each or alternatively pay a fine of ZWL$70,000 ($110). The two have until Tuesday to pay the fine. If they reoffend within the next five years they will be jailed for six months.