Zimbabwe to charge Tendai Biti with contravening electoral law
US, Australia, Canada and European envoys ask Harare to guarantee his safety; Human rights advocate and Biti’s lead lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, wants him returned to Zambia
Harare (Bloomberg) — Zimbabwean opposition figure Tendai Biti, who planned to seek political asylum in Zambia, will be charged with contravening Zimbabwe’s electoral law and public violence after he was sent back to his country. Biti, a former finance minister who claims Zimbabwe’s July 30 election was rigged, attempted to cross to neighbouring Zambia on Wednesday. Zambian authorities subsequently detained him and eventually heeded the Zimbabwean government’s call for his return. He will be charged with public violence and contravening electoral law by announcing "unofficial or false" results, Zimbabwe police said on Twitter. "We will not be used as a country for those who want to run away from court to appear on charges," said Zambian Information Minister Dora Siliya. There’s no breakdown in law and order in Zimbabwe and citizens’ lives are not in danger to warrant Biti’s asylum bid, she said. A Zambian court stayed the government’s decision to return Biti, but it was after he was ...
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