S Africa in Zimbabwe rights call

South Africa has urged Zimbabwe to respect the rule of law and rights of citizens, including opposition leaders.Its call comes after opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and others appeared with injuries in a Harare court, after two days in police detention.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has demanded the immediate release of Mr Tsvangirai and his supporters.

They were arrested when police broke up a rally on Sunday, called to pray over the political and economic crisis.

South Africa, seen as Zimbabwe’s most important neighbour, broke its usual silence on the government in Harare to state its concern.

“South Africa urges the Zimbabwean government to ensure that the rule of law including respect for rights of all Zimbabweans and opposition leaders is respected,” Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad said.

‘Sadistic attack’

As the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader and the other activists were led away from the Harare court to a hospital for treatment, Mr Tsvangirai condemned their treatment by police.

“It’s a horrible assault. A sadistic attack on defenceless people,” he said.

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BBC reporter Brian Hungwe, who was at the courthouse, said the MDC leader appeared with 10 of about 50 detainees who were brought to the court.

He says Mr Tsvangirai was badly swollen, his right eye was shut, he had deep cuts and several stitches and could barely walk.

The other detainees had similar injuries, he says.

A lawyer for the group, Beatrice Mtetwa, said they would be charged with incitement to violence, the Associated Press news agency reported.

One person was killed in the police crackdown on Sunday.

‘Ruthless’ regime

The action against Sunday’s meeting in Harare - which the police say was banned - has been strongly condemned by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, as well as the US and European Union.

TSVANGIRAI’S LEGAL TROUBLES 2003: Charged with treason - later dropped 2002: Lost election to Mugabe, charged with treason - later dropped 2000: Charged with treason - later dropped 2000: MDC won 57 parliamentary seats 1999: Helped form MDC Media anger over crackdown Q&A: Zimbabwe meltdown

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, urged Zimbabwe to conduct an “immediate, impartial and comprehensive investigation” into what happened.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called for Mr Tsvangirai’s immediate release.

“The world community again has been shown that the regime of Robert Mugabe is ruthless and repressive and creates only suffering for the people of Zimbabwe,” she said.

However, few of Zimbabwe’s neighbours have condemned its policies.

President Levy Mwanawasa of neighbouring Zambia voiced his concern about the situation, but said problems in Zimbabwe were for its own people to solve.

Zimbabwe’s Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said the police’s action was justified as they were attacked by opposition activists.

The government said the rally breached a ban on political gatherings imposed after violence at a demonstration last month.

Civil discontent in Zimbabwe is rising over the country’s economic crisis, with chronic unemployment and inflation running at more than 1,700% - the highest in the world.