* Sentencing to take place on Tuesday
* Group had shown videos of North Africa uprisings
* Lawyers say videos were academic
(Adds background, details)
HARARE, March 19 (Reuters) – A court in Zimbabwe on Monday
convicted six activists of plotting to unseat President Robert
Mugabe’s government by stirring up Arab Spring-style protests
similar to those that toppled autocratic rulers in North Africa
last year.
The group, led by Munyaradzi Gwisai, a former opposition
lawmaker in Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s party, was found
guilty of “conspiracy to commit acts of public violence” aimed
at overthrowing Mugabe, who has ruled the southern African state
since its independence from Britain in 1980.
All defendants denied the charges.
Prosecutors said that Gwisai, who heads the small but
radical pressure group International Socialist Organisation, had
shown fellow activists videos of popular uprisings which toppled
the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia.
Defence lawyers denied the activists had been plotting
anti-government protests, however, saying the videos had been
shown as part of an academic debate the group was having on
North African politics.
The group was arrested in February last year after police
raided a meeting they were holding.
Continued…
