HARARE, Zimbabwe — An activist from Bridgewater faces 20 years in prison over a Twitter post about the president of Zimbabwe.
Martha O’Donovan, 25, was in court on Saturday morning for her tweet that called President Robert Mugabe a “sick man.” The tweet included a picture showing the 93-year-old with a catheter. The government claims the message represents an attempt to undermine the authority of Mugabe.
She was arrested on Friday at her home in Harare, the African nation’s capital city. According to her legal team on Saturday, her application to dismiss the case was denied and she has to remain in jail until at least Nov. 15. Her lawyers will apply for bail on Monday.
O’Donovan is from the Martinsville section of Bridgewater, according to her Facebook page, and a graduate of Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School.
The New York University graduate works for the Magamba Network, a network working to bring change the political situation Zimbabwe using, according to its website, “new media, activism and innovation.”
Earlier this year, she presented a talk at a Re:Publica digital culture conference on “How Zimbabweans Rebel Online.”
She also manages a pop-up bar called Mar’s Bar.
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http://nj1015.com/nj-woman-faces-20-years-in-african-prison-for-tweeting-about-president/