Zimbabwe draws international ire
The conviction of celebrated and award-winning author Tsitsi Dangarembga and her co-accused Julie Barnes in a case where they were found guilty of inciting public violence by a court in Harare on Friday has drawn international interest. The two were sentenced to a suspended 5-year jail term and to pay ZWD70,000. Their arrest came after they held up placards demanding reforms during a protest against the incarceration of journalist Hopewell Chin'ono in 2020.
The British Broadcasting Corporation, and BBC News Africa reported on the conviction.
Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga and Julie Barnes have been found guilty of inciting violence for holding placards calling for political reforms, at an anti-government protest in 2021. Their sentence has not yet been announced.https://t.co/AerZQKfy2d pic.twitter.com/Pzf2PQE2DH
— BBC News Africa (@BBCAfrica) September 29, 2022
The Union of East Anglia, UAE where Dangarembga is International Chair of Creative Writing, also issued a statement of solidarity.
UEA condemns in the strongest possible terms today’s sentencing of our International Chair of Creative Writing, Tsitsi Dangarembga, and stands in solidarity with Tsitsi and her right to peacefully protest. Read our full statement: https://t.co/6KPmpegIIw pic.twitter.com/H7zPwR1BM2
— UEA (@uniofeastanglia) September 29, 2022
Amnesty International said the two were convicted for “exercising their freedom of expression”.
Yesterday, @EfieZethu Dangarembga and @jbcorporatex were convicted for exercising their freedom of expression.
Court ruled that by holding the placards inscribed "Free @daddyhope" they intended to incite violence and promote a breach of peace.#ProtectTheProtest @AmnestySARO pic.twitter.com/2YvXIjRJq1
— Amnesty International Zimbabwe (@amnesty_zim) September 30, 2022
Windham-Campbell Prizes another international organization said they were “equally dismayed at the unjust verdict”.
We were so happy to host the brilliant and courageous Tsitsi Dangarembga (@EfieZethu) @Yale last week, and are equally dismayed at the unjust verdict rendered against her in #Zimbabwe, clearly meant to chill expressions of dissent. She's free now, and ok, but the fight goes on! pic.twitter.com/qzoxIDxei5
— Windham-Campbell Prizes (@WindhamCampbell) September 29, 2022
PEN International also condemned the act and called upon the Zanu PF-led government to “uphold their human rights obligations and desist from persecuting dissenting voices”.
We condemn the conviction today of award-winning writer Tsitsi Dangarembga by a Zimbabwe Court, and reiterate our calls to the Zimbabwe authorities to uphold their human rights obligations and desist from persecuting dissenting voices. @EfieZethu https://t.co/f2utmmVaX7
— PEN International (@pen_int) September 29, 2022
Professor Stephen Chan summed it all up by commenting that the regime was shooting itself in the foot as it was attracting negative global reviews at a time it was seeking re-engagement with the international community.
https://t.co/CnZQZ5ma9Q The news of Dangarembga's conviction in German. She is highly regarded in Germany, Europe's financial powerhouse. German investors will not consider Zimbabwe open for business simply because it is not open. The Zim Govt doesn't seem to understand that
— Stephen Chan (@DrStephenChan) October 2, 2022
These acts either point to a government that no longer cares about its international image or one that does not understand international relations. The pair have since issued a statement following the conviction.
A Statement by Tsitsi Dangarembga and Julie Barnes on their conviction yesterday:https://t.co/KxiuNyckli pic.twitter.com/iOttgSaget
— Faber Books (@FaberBooks) September 30, 2022
