A Zimbabwean court has convicted opposition leader Jameson Timba and 34 activists for participating in an unlawful gathering, following over five months in pre-trial detention. Timba, the interim leader of a faction within the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) opposition party, and the activists face up to five years in prison or a fine, with sentencing set for next week, according to lawyer Webster Jiti.
The court acquitted 30 other individuals who were arrested alongside Timba. The group was detained on June 16 at Timba’s residence in Harare, charged with promoting violence, breaching the peace, or inciting bigotry. The activists’ lawyers argued they had gathered for a barbecue to mark the African Union’s Day of the African Child.
Human rights organization Amnesty International condemned the arrests, describing them as part of a broader crackdown on freedoms of assembly and expression in Zimbabwe. The group also called for an investigation into allegations that some activists were tortured while in police custody.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who came to power in 2017 promising democratic reforms after the ousting of longtime leader Robert Mugabe, has denied accusations of repression. However, he has repeatedly cautioned the opposition against actions he claims could incite violence.
