Convicted author and Peace Prize winner Tsitsi Dangarembga successfully appealed to Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court today and was acquitted in a second instance.

The multi-award-winning 64-year-old was sentenced in September in her home country to six months suspended imprisonment for five years and a fine of 70,000 Zimbabwean dollars (around 175 euros).

She had been accused of public incitement to violence, breach of the peace and bigotry. Journalist Julie Barnes, who received the same verdict, was also acquitted. The Supreme Court is the highest authority in Zimbabwe.

Anti-Corruption Court argued “incorrectly”

The reasoning of the Harare Anti-Corruption Court, which ruled in September, was flawed, Supreme Court Justice Happious Zhou ruled today.

The placards that Dangarembga and Barnes carried during a demonstration were not obscene, offensive, abusive or threatening, Zhou said.

Almost three years ago, Dangarembga and Barnes took to the streets to advocate reform of corrupt institutions in the southern African country. They were arrested, released on parole shortly thereafter, and charged in September 2020.

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