AI: Free Tsvangirai immediately
04/06/2008 21:25  - (SA)  

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'Mbeki must act on Tsvangirai' Tsvangirai letter 'fiction' Tsvangirai: No charge yet Tsvangirai entourage held in Zim Zim cops detain Tsvangirai

Zimbabwe Special Report  Latest Zimbabwe Stories

London - Rights watchdog Amnesty International on Wednesday called for the immediate release of Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who was detained along with his entourage ahead of a key presidential run-off poll.

Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was held with key figures including the party's deputy leader and chair after allegedly addressing an election rally without authorisation, the MDC said.

"Morgan Tsvangirai should be released immediately - or charged with a recognisable criminal offence," said London-based Amnesty in a statement.

It added that his detention was part of a "sudden, sharp and dangerous crackdown on political opposition" ahead of run-off presidential elections against President Robert Mugabe at the end of this month.

The group also condemned the government's reported order to three aid agencies to stop operations in Zimbabwe over claims they had campaigned for the MDC.

"By introducing restrictions against aid workers in Zimbabwe... the Zimbabwean government is attempting to hide the worst of the state-sponsored violence from the eyes of the world," it said.

- AFP

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