The Southern Africa Human Rights Defenders Network (Southern Defenders) has condemned the conviction and four-year prison sentence imposed on opposition Transform Zimbabwe party leader Jacob Ngarivhume saying it was a clear violation of his rights.

Ngarivhume was sentenced to four years in prison on charges of inciting public violence after calling for anti-government nationwide protests in July 2020.

He will stay behind bars for three years after the court set aside one year on condition of good behaviour.

The sentence is seen as setting a precedence for other suspects facing similar charges.

Job Sikhala, a popular opposition politician has been in prison for over 300 days for allegedly inciting violence during a speech. He still awaits judgment, which is due next week.

"The conviction and imprisonment of Jacob Ngarivhume, a democracy activist, for calling for anti-corruption demonstrations in 2020 clearly violates his fundamental freedoms. This sentence conveys to other activists that they risk imprisonment for exercising their rights," the Southern Defenders said.

Amnesty International, a human rights lobby organization, also urged authorities to quash Ngarivhume's sentence as this was the ruling party's way of silencing dissenting voices.

"It is unthinkable that Jacob Ngarivhume has been sent to prison for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

"Authorities must quash this sentence. Ngarivhume's sentencing is a cynical ploy to suppress dissent and it is an abuse of the justice system to intimidate and harass opposition voices," said Amnesty International's Interim Deputy Director in Southern Africa Vongai Chikwanda in a statement.

Meanwhile, main opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator Tendai Biti has described Ngarivhume's conviction and lengthy jail sentence as irrational and shocking.

"The conviction and 4-year prison term for Jacob Ngarivhume is shocking and irrational.

"Decision has no leg in both law and logic. It is a gross assault on the basic right to protest codified in the constitution and a massive reflection of the paranoia and psychotic nature of this regime.

"Regime must understand that Ian Smith's copybook of repression, closure of political space, assassinations and imprisonment of opponents does not work and will not work.

"No tank will stop an idea whose hour has come," said Biti.