Chaos at Mugabe rival trial

The US ambassador (l) was determined to witness the trial

The treason trial of Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, has begun after a delay of several hours.

Riot police surrounded the Harare High Court early on Monday morning and used batons to disperse crowds of journalists, lawyers, diplomats and others who wished to attend.

This is a public place and it is supposed to be a public court. Obviously the state has something to hide

Opposition MP
Priscilla Misihairabwi

Mr Tsvangirai's lawyers protested and Judge Paddington Garwe ordered that journalists and members of the public be allowed into the courtroom.

Mr Tsvangirai and two senior colleagues in the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are facing treason charges over an alleged plot to kill President Robert Mugabe.

All three pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The MDC leader said the charges were fabricated by the authorities to try to remove him from the political scene.

If found guilty, they face the death penalty.

During the chaotic scenes, diplomats from the UK, the Nertherlands and Germany were forcibly turned away from the High Court but United States ambassador Joseph Sullivan was allowed in.

Police made several arrests, including two journalists.

They said the courtroom was filled to capacity, but lawyers inside said the public benches were virtually empty.

'Overthrow government

After the judge's ruling, only those journalists with press cards issued under a strict new media law were allowed into court.

Most foreign correspondents and journalists from the private sector have not yet received their accreditation.

Mr Sullivan said he was determined to witness the trial.

"It has important implications for both the rule of law and democratic pluralism in Zimbabwe," he said.

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Zimbabwe's judges remain defiant

"This is a public place and it is supposed to be a public court. Obviously the state has something to hide," opposition MP Priscilla Misihairabwi told the Associated Press news agency.

Prosecution lawyer and deputy attorney general, Bharad Patel, denied that the charges were an attempt to silence the opposition.

"Their opposition and desire for political power is not criminal as such, but it is their desire to overthrow a government and to occupy positions through undemocratic means which is criminal," he said.

Mr Tsvangirai was the main challenger to Mr Mugabe during last March's presidential elections.

Mr Mugabe won the elections, but there have been allegations of widespread voter rigging and intimidation and Mr Tsvangirai has asked the courts to nullify the result.

Mr Tsvangirai's deputy, Welshman Ncube, and another senior MDC member, Renson Gasela, were also charged with treason.

Secret video

Mr Tsvangirai says the charges, based on a videotape which purports to show him discussing the assassination of Mr Mugabe with a political consultant, were fabricated.

Millions of Zimbabweans face starvation

The allegations against Mr Tsvangirai were made by a Canadian political consultancy, Dickens and Madson, headed by former Israeli intelligence officer and Mugabe lobbyist Ari Ben-Menashe.

On the videotape, repeatedly broadcast on Zimbabwean state television, Mr Tsvangirai is shown allegedly discussing ways of eliminating Mr Mugabe with consultants.

But there have been suggestions the videotape was heavily edited.

Mr Tsvangirai is represented by well-known South African attorney George Bizos, who defended Nelson Mandela nearly 40 years ago.

Since being charged with treason, Mr Tsvangirai and the others have had to surrender their passports to the police and so have been unable to travel abroad to lobby against Mr Mugabe's government.

Nation in crisis

Treason charges have been brought against two previous opponents of Mr Mugabe: Zapu leader Joshua Nkomo in 1982 and Ndabaningi Sithole in 1996.

Previous treason charges against Mr Tsvangirai were dropped when they were ruled unconstitutional.

MORGAN TSVANGIRAI

Previous treason charges dropped

Former union leader

Appealing against 2002 election results

Profile: Morgan Tsvangirai

The trial at the colonial-style courthouse in the capital, Harare, comes a week before the first of six World Cup cricket matches are scheduled to be played in Zimbabwe.

Several countries - including Britain and Australia - have expressed concerns over whether the tournament should be held in the country, gripped by political unrest and acute economic crisis.

It also comes as the European Union is considering whether to renew sanctions on Zimbabwe's leader, which are due to run out on 18 February.

The EU is divided, with the UK Government in the forefront of demands to extend the sanctions.

France and Portugal both want to invite Mr Mugabe to summit meetings in the next few months.