BUJUMBURA, Dec 14 (Reuters) - Seven suspected coup plotters, including a former president, have appeared at Burundi's High Court in the resumption of a high-profile trial that has drawn rights criticisms against the central African nation.

Hundreds gathered outside the building in the lake-side capital Bujumbura late on Wednesday, listening to loudspeakers as the prosecution said the suspects had plotted to kill President Pierre Nkurunziza and overthrow the government.

The suspects, including former President Domitien Ndayizeye, were arrested in August.

"The preparation for the coup was discovered at the beginning of February after the public prosecution heard about suspicious meetings taking place inside and outside the country," prosecutor Gaudence Ndayizeye told the court.

Diplomats have criticised Burundi's government, under pressure over its record on democracy and freedom of expression, for its handling of the alleged plot, which some fear may destabilise a country tasting relative peace after years of war.

Critics say the plot was invented by the ruling party to quash dissent, but the government and prosecutors deny this.

Prosecutor Ndayizeye said the suspects had met with the half-brother of Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Salim Saleh, Congolese dissident General Laurent Nkunda and Rwandan army chief of staff General James Kabalebe. He said former Burundi rebel leader Alain Mugabarabona was the mastermind of the plot.

"Mugabarabona had a mission of recruiting military and civil people to help them in their dirty plan," he said.

"He confessed during several interrogations before intelligent services agents and before the general prosecutor, and he signed a document confirming those charges."

Mugabarabona rejected the accusations, calling for the signed confessions to be shown in court.

"I signed, under the threat of death, a document which was prepared in advance by intelligence services agents who ordered me to implicate people such as Domitien Ndayizeye ... and many other army officers, who according to those who tortured me, were a real threat to the current power," he said.

"All confessions I made are meaningless, because they were obtained under torture."

The prosecutor said there were more people involved in the coup plot but had not yet been arrested. The hearing was postponed to Monday.

Meanwhile the Committee to Protect Journalists called for three reporters detained over a story on the plot to be released.

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