A Zimbabwean court has convicted opposition leader Jameson Timba and 34 activists of participating in an unlawful gathering after over five months in pre-trial detention.
Timba, leader of a faction of the Citizens Coalition for Change, and the activists face up to five years in prison or a fine. Sentencing will occur next week, according to their lawyer.
The group was arrested on June 16 at Timba’s Harare home and initially charged with disorderly conduct and participating in a gathering to incite violence. The court dropped the disorderly conduct charges in September.
The defense argued the gathering was a peaceful barbecue to mark the Day of the African Child. Timba and others were detained before a regional summit in Harare.
Amnesty International condemned the detentions, citing repression of free expression. The rights group also called for an investigation into torture claims, which the government denied, warning the opposition against violence.
