JOHANNESBURG — South Africa-based fast-food chain Nando's has pulled an ad that shows Robert Mugabe frolicking with dead dictators, after threats by a notorious youth militia loyal to Zimbabwe's president.

Zimbabwean state radio quoted the leader of Chipangano, a "brotherhood" of Mugabe loyalists alternatively described as a "brutal band of thugs," as saying that Nando's restaurants in Zimbabwe risked punitive action, including a boycott, over the ad, the Associated Press reported.

Nando's South Africa said they took the threats seriously, and would stop airing the TV commercial, which was part of the company's holiday ad campaign, the South African Press Association reported.

The Nando's commercial, called "Last Dictator Standing," shows a Mugabe look-alike sitting alone at a dinner table and reminiscing over good times with Muammar Gaddafi, Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin and other dead dictators. 

More from GlobalPost: Fast-food chain Nando's uses dead dictators to sell chicken (VIDEO)

"We've noted with concern the political reaction emanating out of Zimbabwe, including perceived threats against Nando's Zimbabwe's management, staff and customers," the company said in a statement, according to SAPA.

"We feel strongly that this is the prudent step to take in a volatile climate and believe that no TV commercial is worth risking the safety of Nando's staff and customers."

Nando's is a Johannesburg-based fast food chain that sells Portuguese/Mozambican-style peri-peri chicken. While the "dictators" ad was made for the South African market, it is widely available online and would be visible in neighboring Zimbabwe on satellite TV channels. 

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe always comes up with a way to surprise and outrage.

The country is in a state of perpetual crisis, economic challenges and human rights abuses. So what does Mugabe do? He jails a police officer for using his toilet.

A Zimbabwean policeman has been in prison for a month for using the presidential bathroom at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in the southern city of Bulawayo.

Alois Mabhunu, a homicide detective who was working security at the fair in May, went into the VIP lavatory — which was reserved exclusively for use by Mugabe and African Export Import Bank head Jean Louis Ekra – despite warnings from from officers in charge of guarding the toilet.

Mabhunu relieved himself, but the next day he was arrested for sitting on Mugabe's throne and he has been in custody ever since. Last week he was sentenced to 10 days in prison and received a demotion by an internal police court. 

An appeal by Mabhunu will be heard later this week by Augustine Chihuri, commissioner general of the Zimbabwe Republican Police force.

Government officials have have refused to comment on the matter, but Mugabe's critics condemn this as yet another abuse of the rule of law. 

"There has to be a law saying the toilet is the president's, but this was a public one," said Zimbabwean human-rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa to South Africa's Mail & Guardian. "They will have had to issue a proclamation in the Government Gazette specifying it. I bet they didn't do that."

Zimbabwe's courts go both ways.

In Harare, a judge released on bail six people charged with treason for watching videos of events in Tunisia and Egypt and allegedly plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe's government.

Munyaradzi Gwisai, a former member of parliament from Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's party, and his five co-accused were arrested in February with 40 other people who were later released for lack of evidence.

The state asked the court to refuse bail to the six remaining in jail, but high court judge Samuel Kudya said the case against Gwisai and his colleagues was weak.

"I see no iota of evidence that any Zimbabwean ever contemplated a Tunisian and Egyptian revolution," Kudya said in his ruling.

"Treason is difficult to prove beyond reasonable doubt, as determined by the Tsvangirai case," the judge said, referring to the now-prime minister's treason trial after he was accused in 2002 of seeking to topple President Robert Mugabe.

Gwisai and the others were freed on bail but they must stand trial later. Treason carries the death penalty in Zimbabwe.

But in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second largest city, a judge refused bail to Vikas Mavhudzi, who has been accused with subversion for making a favorable comment about the Egyptian revolt on Facebook.

Mavhudzi, 39, wrote on Tsvangirai's Facebook page, which has 60,000 fans: "I am overwhelmed ... What happened in Egypt is sending shockwaves to dictators around the world. No weapon but unity of purpose worth emulating, hey."

Zimbabwean security agents saw the post on Facebook and tracked Mavhudzi down and arrested him. Mavhudzi is charged with suggesting to Tsvangirai a takeover of Mugabe's government by unconstitutional means. Bail was refused on the grounds that "what happened in Egypt is a reality."

Mavhudzi's lawyer will appeal the refusal of bail.