A Zimbabwean court on Thursday freed "for now" an American woman
charged with subversion for allegedly describing the former president on
Twitter as a "sick man."
Martha O'Donovan, who grew up in New
Jersey, had faced up to 20 years in prison. A magistrate removed her
from remand after prosecutors failed to provide a trial date, freeing
her from the charges but only temporarily.
O'Donovan's lawyer Obey
Shava told The Associated Press she can still be summoned back to court
if the prosecution feels it has more evidence against her. But she can
get her passport back.
"It all depends on what they gather but for
now the case has crumbled. She is free for now," said Shava with the
organization Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights.
In previous cases, the government has rarely followed up to summon people again.
A smiling O'Donovan, looking relieved, said she had no comment and left the courtroom to hugs from friends.
She has denied the allegations of insulting 93-year-old former leader Robert Mugabe, who resigned in November under pressure from the military and ruling party amid fears that his wife was positioning herself to succeed him.
New President Emmerson Mnangagwa,
a longtime Mugabe ally whose firing as vice president sparked the
whirlwind events leading to Mugabe's departure, has declared that the
southern African nation should let "bygones be bygones."
Zimbabwe
Lawyers for Human Rights says it has represented nearly 200 people
charged under a law that criminalizes insulting or undermining the
president.
On Sunday, the military rounded up eight activists for
carrying placards denouncing Mnangagwa during a church service presided
over by the president. A court released them Tuesday after ruling that
the military had no arresting powers.
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