Zimbabwe pastor Evan Mawarire freed
A court in Zimbabwe capital, Harare, has
freed a pastor who had been accused of attempting to overthrow the government.
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Pastor Evan Mawarire says he wants to reclaim the flag from the
government
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Supporters of
Pastor Evan Mawarire celebrated the news in song and dance.
His lawyers
successfully argued that the charge of subversion had been added at the last
minute, denying him a fair trial.
Mr Mawarire, who
started the #ThisFlag movement, was draped in Zimbabwe's national flag in
court.
The charge of
subversion carries a maximum sentence of 20 years. On Tuesday, he was charged
with inciting public violence and disturbing the peace.
Mr Mawarire was
represented by dozens lawyers.
His latest call
for a two-day stay away from work to protest at the economic crisis went
largely unheeded, with most businesses opening as normal.
However, a
similar protest last week left the country's cities deserted after civil
servants had gone unpaid.
Salaries were
finally paid last week and so most schools, hospitals and offices were open as
usual on Wednesday despite the strike call.
However, the
country still faces a severe shortage of cash, as well as a severe drought.
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