Riot police disperse Togo demo

Riot police in the West African state of Togo have fired tear-gas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators calling for the release of the main opposition leader, Yawovi Agboyibo.

Mr Agoboyibo, a lawyer who heads the Action Committee for Renewal (CAR) party, was sentenced to six months in jail last week for defaming the Togolese prime minister.

We will persevere. There are other forms of protest

Opposition activist

After opposition activists called a protest march for Saturday, Interior Minister Sizing Walla banned demonstrations and warned that any breach would be dealt with severely.

Police were deployed from the early hours outside the party's headquarters in the capital, Lome, and moved in when opposition protesters began to gather.

Mr Agbobiyo was found guilty of defamation and spreading false stories about Prime Minister Messan Agbeyome Kodjo.

His lawyer said he was stunned by the sentence and would appeal.

Mr Agobiyo was convicted over a statement he made in 1998, accusing the prime minister of associating with an armed militia which killed a supporter of his party.

At the time, Mr Kodjo was the director of Lome's port.

Trades unions, human rights groups and opposition parties had planned to protest to call for Mr Agbobiyo's immediate release, but several hundred demonstrators were quickly dispersed by police.

Pressure

Issuing the demonstration ban, the interior minister, Sizing Walla, said the protest was banned because it would be" contrary to the constitution."

He said the measure was aimed at upholding the independence of the judiciary and preventing judges from succumbing to extra-judicial pressure.

A spokesman for the demonstration organisers, Gahoun Hegbor, told reporters they would not give up.

"We will persevere - there are other forms of protest," he said.