Harare: A Zimbabwean High Court has overturned conviction and sentence of six pro-democracy activists charged with plotting an Egypt-style uprising in 2011 against then long-time ruler, Robert Mugabe.
Munyaradzi Gwisai, activist Hopewell Musavaya Gumbo and colleagues faced treason charges for attending a meeting in the capital where police say they conspired to incite public violence and topple Mugabe through Egyptian-style protests.
The state alleged Gwisayi, a former member of Parliament for the Highfield constituency of Harare and his colleagues discussed high unemployment, hunger and economic decay, and urged Mugabe be forced out of office through protests as were former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and ousted Tunisian leader Zine el Abidine Ben Ali.
Mugabe regularly used treason charges against his political opponents since he came to power in 1980.
The late Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC T) and prime minister in the unity government was charged with high treason weeks before he first challenged Mugabe in presidential elections in 2002.
