22 Mar 11 | Index Index, minipost
A court has refused bail to Vikas Mavhudzi, who was arrested on charges of subversion for a Facebook remark. He had posted a comment on Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Facebook page about the Egyptian uprisings. In February 46 people were arrested and charged with treason for watching videos of the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
25 Feb 11 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
Police in Harare this week arrested 46 activists and trade union members who were watching videos of demonstrations in Egypt and Tunisia. They have been charged with treason for trying to organise an uprising against the government. Lawyers for some of the detained allege that they have been beaten while in custody.
17 Dec 10 | Index Index, minipost
Grace Mugabe has filed a lawsuit against Standard newspaper claiming $15m for defamation. The newspaper published leaked US cables from wikileaks alleging the first lady of gaining millions of dollars from illegal diamond trade. Other high ranking officials implicated by the cables include Joyce Mujuru, the vice-president, and the head of the army, General Constantine Chiwenga. The first lady has reacted calling the allegations “false, scandalous, malicious, wrongful and defamatory”. The diamond trade in Zimbabwe, known as “blood diamond” is notorious for its violence and extensive human rights abuse.
24 Nov 10 | Index Index, minipost, News and features
The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) now regularly refers to Morgan Tsvangirai as “the leader of the MDC party” rather than “the Prime Minister” in news bulletins. Political analyst Bekithemba Mhlanga has claimed that, with an election marked for 2011, ZANU PF has entered election mode and ZBC, still tightly controlled by President Mugabe, helps enforce this agenda. Mugabe, in ZBC reports, has a number of titles, including “the President”, “The Head of State”, and “Commander-in-Chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces”.
