US embassy cable - 04HARARE1205

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TREASON VERDICT REPORTEDLY DEFERRED

Identifier: 04HARARE1205
Wikileaks: View 04HARARE1205 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Harare
Created: 2004-07-21 14:34:00
Classification: SECRET//NOFORN
Tags: PREL PGOV PHUM ZI MDC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.


 
S E C R E T HARARE 001205 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVELLE, D. TEITELBAUM 
LONDON FOR C. GURNEY 
PARIS FOR C. NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR T. PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/20/2009 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, ZI, MDC 
SUBJECT: TREASON VERDICT REPORTEDLY DEFERRED 
 
REF: HARARE 1201 
 
Classified By: Political Officer Win Dayton Under Section 1.5 b/d 
 
1.  (SBU) MDC President Morgan Tsvangirai's lawyers informed 
the Embassy July 20 that the High Court had advised them that 
day that judgment in Tsvangirai's treason trial would not be 
rendered July 29, as earlier expected.  The court did not 
indicate a new date for the judgment's release or a reason 
for the postponement. 
 
2.  (S/NF) COMMENT: Sensitive reporting (septel), 
corroborated indirectly by outside sources, suggested that 
the GOZ had wired a guilty verdict and death sentence.  The 
postponement may suggest that the GOZ is deliberating further 
on the matter and could be open to outside pressure.  In any 
event, a deferred decision continues to serve ruling party 
purposes by absorbing the MDC leader's attention and 
resources and publicly reinforcing the opposition's apparent 
impotence. 
SULLIVAN 

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