By Gift Mawire | @Gkmwa
A Zimbabwean pastor who criticised his government and currently detained after flying back to the country late last week has been shortlisted for an international award for digital activism with his protest movement #Thisflag.
Evan Mawarire, has been announced as one of four finalists for the Google sponsored Index on Censorship’s world Freedom of Expression Awards 2017 in the Digital Activism category.
In its citation, the Index on Censorship said “In May 2016, Baptist pastor Evan Mawarire unwittingly began the most important protest movement in Zimbabwe’s recent history when he posted a video of himself draped in the Zimbabwean flag, expressing his frustration at the state of the nation. A subsequent series of YouTube videos and the hashtag Mawarire used, #ThisFlag, went viral, sparking protests and a boycott called by Mawarire, which he estimates was attended by over eight million people. A scale of public protest previously inconceivable, the impact was so strong that private possession of Zimbabwe’s national flag has since been banned. The pastor temporarily left the country following death threats and was arrested in early February as he returned to his homeland.”
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“I called the campaign #ThisFlag because it encouraged citizens to get involved in reclaiming national pride by condemning the shameless actions of government and its officials.” — said Mawarire.
Meanwhile , a bail hearing that was supposed to be heard today has been moved to Wednesday 8th February at the High Court in Harare.
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- Video: Arrested #Thisflag Pastor Evan Mawarire Appears In Public