A court in Zimbabwe convicted the spokeswoman for an opposition party guilty of tweeting inaccurate information and fined her $500.
In this year’s elections, prominent attorney Fadzayi Mahere is standing against President Emmerson Mnangagwa. She’s a member of the Citizens’ Coalition for Change
She was arrested two years ago for distributing a video that many viewers mistaken for proof that a police officer fatally struck a baby with a baton.
As soon as the verdict was announced, Ms. Mahere’s relatives were teary in the courtroom. The prosecution requested imprisonment, but the court instead imposed a fine.
The court said that Ms. Mahere should have checked the facts prior to questioning the police’s reliability.
In light of the fact that the Act under which she was prosecuted and convicted no longer exists, the case has stirred controversy. The First Amendment was violated, hence the Supreme Court ruled against it. Yet, the state continues to use it, particularly against its critics.
