11月1日 ジンバブウェ：「びっこのムガベ」と言っても無罪に Zimbabwe court says Robert Mugabe 'insult law' invalid

Le 1er novembre 2013

7時、晴れ、26℃、55％。

万聖節

一昨日蟻に食わた箇所が赤く腫れている。痒いのなんのって。

13時15分。南の空は晴れているが、北から雷雨。だが、15分で雨はお仕舞。

RDCコンゴのカビラ大統領は昨夜TV演説でコンゴ東部における国軍による反政府軍M23攻撃とその勝利を祝福した。先月25日から30日にかけてキブンバ、キワンジャ、ルチュル、ルマンガボ、そしてR23最後の拠点といわれるブナガナを奪還した。破竹の勢いだ。

ジンバブウェのムガベ大統領については再三このブログでも話題にしている。そのムガベを侮辱すると刑法犯罪になる。帝国時代の日本の「不敬罪」だ。ジンバブウェでは1年以下の懲役または100以下の罰金規定がある。既に80件以上の有罪判決がでているらしい。

しかし、今年3月民主的新憲法が国民投票で賛成多数を得ている。

8月裁判所は、ムガベ大統領のポスターをトイレット・ペーパとして使用しようとした青年（26歳）に無罪判決を言い渡した。

今年5月、ムガベを「びっこのロバ」と罵った男が逮捕、起訴された。その裁判の判決がこのほどでたが、やはり無罪。かつ犯罪を構成した刑法の条項そのものが憲法違反であると結論付けた。

追い詰められるムガベ大統領の姿がそこにある。しかし、今夏の選挙でムガベが国民的支持を受けて再当選したことも事実である。

どうもアフリカの政治は一筋縄ではいかない。

ジンバブウェのムガベ大統領
独立以来33年の政権だ
今年89歳になったが衰えをみせない

Zimbabwe court says Robert Mugabe 'insult law' invalid

31 October 2013 BBC Africa

Zimbabwe's highest court has declared unconstitutional a law which makes it a crime to insult the president.

Prosecutors should not be overzealous about charging people who comment about President Robert Mugabe "in drinking halls and other social places", the Constitutional Court said.

At least 80 cases have reportedly been filed in recent years under the law.

In May, opposition activist Solomon Madzore was arrested for allegedly calling Mr Mugabe a "limping donkey".

He denied a charge of insulting the president.

Under Section 33 of Zimbabwe's Criminal Codification and Reform Act, a person could be jailed for up to a year or fined $100 (£64) for insulting the president's office.

'Chilling effect'

The law was challenged by several Zimbabweans, including a resident of the southern city of Bulawayo, Tendai Danga, who was arrested two years ago for allegedly insulting Mr Mugabe during a row with a policeman in a bar.

The court's nine judges were unanimous in ruling that the law undermined freedom of expression, making it unlikely that the government will appeal against it, reports the BBC's Brian Hungwe from the capital, Harare.

However, the court gave Justice Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa until 20 November to file an appeal.

In August, a court acquitted a 26-year old man, Takura Mufumisi, charged with intending to use a poster of President Robert Mugabe as toilet paper in a bar.

Zimbabwe approved a new constitution which expands civil liberties in a referendum in March.

Many Zimbabweans have welcomed the court's ruling, believing the law had insulated the president from criticism, our correspondent says.

Mr Mugabe, 89, extended his 33-year rule in elections in July.

His rival Morgan Tsvangirai rejected the result, alleging it was marred by widespread fraud.

The court also declared unconstitutional a law curtailing media freedom, following a challenge by a privately owned financial publication, Zimbabwe Independent.

The state should not "penalise people who make false statements in good faith about a matter of public concern", Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malala said.

Zimbabwean law currently states that a person can be sentenced to 20 years in prison for publishing falsehoods.

"The very existence of a law authorising criminal prosecution for making a false statement... with the prospect of suffering a sentence of imprisonment up to 20 years, has an unconstitutionally chilling effect on the exercise of the right to freedom of expression," Mr Malala said, the AFP news agency reports.