• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • Finance
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
    • Showbiz
  • People
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Stars
    • Politicians
  • Special Report
    • Education
  • Travel
  • Video
  • Luganda
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • Finance
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
    • Showbiz
  • People
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Stars
    • Politicians
  • Special Report
    • Education
  • Travel
  • Video
  • Luganda
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

Zimbabwe: President Mugabe jails American Activist for hurling insults at him on twitter

Watchdog Uganda by Watchdog Uganda
3 years ago
in News
1 0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

In 2016, Martha O’Donovan, a 25-year-old New York University graduate, moved to Zimbabwe.

She got a job with Magamba TV, located in Harare. It’s a satirical comedy station, and O’Donovan was a manager and “media activist.”

Now, she’s in jail.

Hill Water

At issue: a tweet attacking Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe. In it, the president is called a “sick and selfish man.”

We are being led by a selfish & sick man @GomoDubi @tafadzwamarere@Busisa74 @caesarzvayi @mayor_justice @JessieFMajome@ProfJNMoyo @263Chat pic.twitter.com/9Q2PDsFrwV

— mmatigari (@matigary) October 11, 2017

 The tweets come from the account of @matigary, who joined Twitter in February 2016. Zimbabwe authorities say they believe O’Donovan is the author of the tweet based on her IP address. But O’Donovan has denied this, and @matigary has continued to tweet since O’Donovan was jailed.

She has been charged with subversion and attempting to overthrow the Mugabe government. That charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

In a statement to the police, O’Donovan, who grew up in New Jersey, called the allegations “baseless and malicious.” Her lawyer, Rose Hanzi, has argued that the charge is illegal because the police did not inform O’Donovan of it when she was taken from her home Friday morning. Her bail hearing is set for Nov. 15.

The State Department says it is aware of O’Donovan’s situation, but officials declined to comment further.

O’Donovan’s arrest comes a month after Mugabe appointed a cybersecurity minister. When he was appointed, activists on social media worried that he would target them.

Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights say at least 200 people have been charged for allegedly insulting Mugabe in recent years.

“This arrest marks the start of a sinister new chapter in the Zimbabwean government’s clampdown on freedom of speech, and the new battleground is social media,” Muleya Mwananyanda, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director, told the Associated Press.

“Most Zimbabweans do vent on social media about the state of the country, so if they arrest her for this, they might as well arrest all Zimbabweans on social media,” Munya Bloggo, an activist, told BuzzFeed News. “I don’t think anyone is exempt.”

Tongia Makawa, the station’s co-founder and project manager, told BuzzFeed News that he and his colleagues are still in shock. “In all honesty, I think the only thing that’s separates her from the rest of the team is the fact that she’s a foreign national,” he said.

Source: washingtonpost.com



Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com

ShareTweetSend
Previous Post

Age Limit: Minister Kamya urges opposition to accept defeat as she launches ‘Tujikwateko’ campaign

Next Post

Andrew Mwenda takes critic Kalyegira to Rwanda to see miracles

Next Post

Andrew Mwenda takes critic Kalyegira to Rwanda to see miracles

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Our news in your inbox. Subscribe to receive Watchdog Uganda news in your email at no cost.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Plot 23, Yusuf Lule Road
PO Box 7661 Kampala, Uganda
Office Line: +256 777 286 815
Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

© 2020 Watchdog Uganda

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • Finance
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Op-Ed
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
    • Showbiz
  • People
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Stars
    • Politicians
  • Special Report
    • Education
  • Travel
  • Video
  • Luganda

© 2020 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In