Zimbabwe Opposition Official Faces Treason Charges

The secretary general of Zimbabwe’s main opposition party arrested Thursday faces treason charges and publishing information prejudicial to the state, a spokesman for the police said here.

Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) secretary general, Tendai Biti, was arrested at Harare International Airport on his return from exile in South Africa.

Chief police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena said treason charges against the MDC second-in-command stem from a report he allegedly wrote in March in which he outlined the opposition’s transition strategy that included elimination of senior ruling party officials.

The MDC has denied the existence of the report and accused the ruling ZANU PF party of authoring the document as part of its propaganda machinery.

Treason is punishable by death under Zimbabwean law.

Biti is also accused of publishing falsehoods by announcing results of presidential elections that showed that MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai had won 50.3 percent of the votes and must be declared Zimbabwe’s next president.

“We are continuing with our investigations and the accused is expected to appear in court soon,” said Bvudzijena.

Biti’s arrest brings to six the number of senior MDC officials who have been arrested since general elections held in March.

None of the arrested opposition officials has been convicted, raising suspicions that the arrests are part of a campaign to intimidate the MDC ahead of a presidential election run-off set for June 27.

MDC’s Tsvangirai starts as favorite in the run-off after he beat President Robert Mugabe in the first round.

Source African Press Agency

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