Tsvangirai dismayed by the conviction of 6 human rights activists

Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai said he is dismayed by the conviction of six human rights activists on charges of plotting to unseat the government of Zimbabwe.

Tsvangirais's office said the conviction of the six, which arises from the fact that they were found while watching a video of the disturbances in Egypt, serves to project the image of a country that perpetrates gross human rights abuses against innocent civilians.

Luke Tamborinyoka, Tsvangirai's spokesperson said, "While the Prime Minister respects the independence of the judiciary, the latest actions make difficult his efforts to engage nationally and internationally with a view to promote a positive image of the country."

He added that the Prime Minister is disturbed that the government he serves could criminalize people watching videos as plotting to unseat the government. This not only besmirches the government's image, but serves to confirm that Zimbabwe has not moved an inch in its respect for human rights.

"The PM remains deeply disturbed by this and shares with the nation the shock at the laughable conviction and the criminalisation of viewership of material that is already in the public domain," added the statement

The statement concluded by saying, "The conviction is a grave assault on human rights and the Prime Minister, a staunch human rights defender in his own right, shares the grief of the six activists, their families and their relatives."