'Subversive' Zimbabwe Politician To Stay In Custody

Lawyers for Job Sikhala, the deputy chair of Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), have made a statement saying he was blindfolded during pre-trial detention and denied access to his family, lawyers and medication. The MDC has described Mr Sikhala's arrest as a malicious prosecution.

Mr Sikhala will remain in a rural jail until 24 July in Bikita, 217 miles (350km) south of the capital Harare, pending a decision on his bail application. He was arrested this week and charged with subversion, after an unverified video circulating on social media appeared to show him saying: Quote Message: We are going to take the fight to the doorsteps of [President] Emmerson Mnangagwa, we are going to overthrow him before 2023, that is not a joke." We are going to take the fight to the doorsteps of [President] Emmerson Mnangagwa, we are going to overthrow him before 2023, that is not a joke." These are words that the ruling Zanu-PF party described as proof of a declaration of war. 

It's been almost a year since contested elections in which President Mnangagwa narrowly beat the MDC's Nelson Chamisa. Since then, the MDC says several of its members have faced wrongful arrest on similar charges. The opposition has warned of the country imploding as Zimbabweans suffer severe economic hardship - including widespread electricity blackouts, and bread and fuel shortages. Mr Chamisa on Thursday launched a proposed rescue plan to MDC members in Harare.