HARARE, March 13 (Reuters) - Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and others arrested and alleged to have been beaten by police after a protest against President Robert Mugabe will appear in court later on Tuesday, a defence lawyer said.

"The police are now taking our clients to court. They have to be in court before 12 p.m. (1000 GMT)," lawyer Alec Muchadehama told Reuters.

"Our application has already been overtaken by events," he said, rushing out of a court where he had gone to lodge a legal challenge after police defied a High Court order granting lawyers access to Tsvangirai and other opposition leaders.

Tsvangirai, who heads the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was among dozens of opposition and civic leaders arrested on Sunday for trying to hold a banned prayer meeting. Rights groups say he and several others have been tortured in custody.

AlertNet news is provided by

Delicio.us  |   Digg  |   NewsVine  |   Reddit                                                                                  Permalink