Zimbabwe faces G8 criticism

Riot police have been deployed throughout Zimbabwe this week

The leaders of the world's top industrialised countries are expected to condemn the situation in Zimbabwe at the end of their summit on Tuesday.

British officials at the G8 summit in France say a statement will berate the government of President Robert Mugabe for the latest crackdown on the opposition.

On Monday police fired tear gas and shots to disperse demonstrators across Zimbabwe, on the first day of a week of protests organised by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

The mass action is designed to drive Mr Mugabe from power.

The authorities have declared the protests illegal and warned that anyone taking part in them will "face the full wrath of the law".

Violence

British officials at the G8 summit in the French town of Evian say the statement on Zimbabwe is important because it will maintain pressure on Mr Mugabe.

There will be a call for other southern African countries to increase their efforts to make the Zimbabwean president ease his grip on the country.

ZIMBABWE CRISIS

Eight million need food aid

Shortages of petrol, bread, sugar

Inflation over 200%

Opposition complains of persecution

They reject last year's elections

Critical week of protests

A tattered economy

In London, UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw appealed to the Harare government to allow people to demonstrate.

"Many Zimbabweans have chosen this week to express their legitimate concerns about the crisis facing their country," Mr Straw said in a statement issued on Monday.

At least one person was shot during Monday's disturbances. The French news agency AFP said police rounded up protesters and beat them with batons.

Earlier on Monday, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai was charged with contempt of court after being arrested at his home.

Mr Tsvangirai was picked up at his house and held at a police station in Harare for several hours before being charged and released.

The MDC says its activists, including several MPs, have been arrested in Masvingo and Victoria Falls, as well as Harare and Bulawayo.

Other opposition leaders are reported to have gone into hiding.

Blame

The High Court in Zimbabwe banned the protests after police filed an application saying they would undermine law and order and challenge the country's constitutional democracy.

Profile: Morgan Tsvangirai

In a statement issued on Monday, the MDC said economic life in Zimbabwe had been brought to a "total standstill" and called on people to continue with the strikes and protests throughout the week.

It said Mr Mugabe's government was responsible for "hunger, inflation of 300%, chronic shortages of fuel, chronic shortage of energy, an unemployment rate of well over 70%".

President Mugabe, in power since the country gained independence from Britain in 1980, blames the crisis on opponents of his seizures of land from the white minority for redistribution among landless blacks.

Zimbabwe is under sanctions from the European Union, the United States and the Commonwealth over alleged vote-rigging by the ruling party in last year's presidential elections.