![]() They may, for example, be intended to persuade the government to comply with the country’s international obligations. Sanctions may be imposed on Zimbabwe for a variety of reasons. Not only will it be a crime to attend a meeting in order to plan or implement sanctions, it will be a crime if the meeting merely “considers” them. In so far as the new crime penalises the consideration, planning or implementing of sanctions or boycotts, it will be a serious deterrent to free speech in Zimbabwe: We shall deal with the penalties for this aspect of the crime later. So great is the overlap that the new crime is really superfluous, at least in this respect. There is an overlap between the new crime, in so far as it involves planning armed intervention or subverting the government, and the existing crimes of treason (section 20 of the Criminal Law Code) and subverting constitutional government (section 22 of the Code). ![]() Planning armed intervention or subversion prohibition from holding public office for a period between five and 15 years.ġ.prohibition from being registered as a voter or from voting, for a period between five and 15 years, or.cancellation of residence rights, if the convicted person is a permanent resident of Zimbabwe ,.deprivation of citizenship, if the convicted person is a citizen by registration or a dual citizen,. ![]() if sanctions were implemented as a result of the meeting or if a non-binding advisory was issued with the same effect as sanctions, or if the convicted person made a false statement during the meeting) and if the prosecutor so requests, the court may impose any of the following penalties: And in addition, if the crime is committed in aggravating circumstances (i.e. If the meeting is about sanctions or a trade boycott, the penalty for participating in it is a fine of up to Z$200 000 or imprisonment for up to 10 years or both. If the object of the meeting is to subvert or overthrow the government, the penalty for participating in it is the same as for subverting constitutional government, namely imprisonment for up to 20 years, and If the object of the meeting is to consider or plan armed intervention, the penalty for participating in it is the same as for treason, namely the death sentence or imprisonment for life, Penalties for the crime differ according to the object of the meeting: To consider, implement or extend sanctions or a trade boycott against Zimbabwe, or against an individual or official if the sanctions or boycott affect a substantial section of the people of Zimbabwe. To subvert or overthrow the constitutional Zimbabwe an government, or To consider or plan armed intervention in Zimbabwe by the foreign government, or The crime will be committed by a citizen or permanent resident of Zimbabwe who takes an active part in a meeting involving or convened by an agent of a foreign government, if the citizen or resident knows or has reason to believe that the object of the meeting is: We shall deal with each of these in turn.Ĭlause 2 of the Bill will insert a new section into the Code, creating the crime of “wilfully damaging the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe”. It will narrow the scope of the crime of abuse of public office. It will alter the definition of dangerous drugs whose possession, sale and use are prohibited by Chapter VII of the Code, and It will provide mandatory minimum prison sentences for rape It will create the crime of “wilfully damaging the sovereignty and national interest of Zimbabwe ” The Bill will amend the Criminal Law Code in four respects: It can be accessed on the Veritas website. The long-threatened “Patriot Bill”, more properly the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Amendment Bill, was published in the Gazette. On the 23rd December the Government presented opposition parties and activists with an unwelcome Christmas present. ![]() The Criminal Law Code Amendment Bill – “The Patriot Bill”
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