BRIEF: MDC Official Tendai Biti to be Charged With Treason

HARARE, Zimbabwe - Tendai Biti, an official from the opposition group Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was arrested in Harare and police have announced that he will be charged with treason. The BBC also reports it has documents suggesting that the Zimbabwean military is running Mugabe’s reelection campaign and intends to harass MDC supporters, especially in rural areas.

Biti is going to be charged with treason for announcing the results of the contested March 29, 2008 presidential election before the state agency in charge of elections announced them. He was arrested upon his return from South Africa.

The BBC reports that MDC leader and presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai was briefly detained on his way to an election rally while the New York Times reports that he was arrested and that it is nt clear if charges will be filed. This is the third time he has been detained by police this month.

The BBC reports that it has documents outlining a plan by the Zanu-PF “to harass and drive out opposition supporters, especially from rural areas.”

Zimbabwe is scheduled to have a presidential runoff election June 27, 2008 in which opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai is to face President Robert Mugabe.

For more information, please see:

BBC News - Mugabe Critic on Treason Charge - 12 June 2008

New York Times - Zimbabwe Detains Opposition Leaders - 12 June, 2008