A Zimbabwe court denied bail to three prominent activists, whom rights groups say are among dozens of people jailed, ahead of a regional summit this weekend.
Rights activist Namatai Kwekweza, teachers' union leader Robson Chere, and Samuel Gwenzi, a former Harare municipal councillor, have been in jail since July 31 in a case that has drawn wide condemnation and demands for their release.
They were pulled off a plane at the Harare airport as they headed to a civil society conference and charged with disorderly conduct for protesting for the release of opposition leader Jameson Timba and 78 other activists arrested on June 16.
The case has been condemned by rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch ahead of the 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Harare on Saturday.
Criticisms
"In an attempt to silence critical voices and dissuade potential protests, the police and security forces have arbitrarily arrested over 160 activists, political party members, student union activists, and civil society members on charges relating to disorderly conduct, criminal nuisance, and plotting to incite protests," Amnesty said last week.
Harare magistrate Ruth Moyo on Friday denied bail after state prosecutors argued that they could abscond. The evidence was that they had been apprehended at the airport, Moyo said.
"From the submissions made by the State, there is a possibility that the release of the accused might undermine delivery of justice," she added.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa takes over the SADC chairmanship at the summit.
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