Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's government has vowed to silence dissent despite international outrage over an assault that left the opposition leader with a suspected fractured skull. He also told Western countries to "go hang"
"It's the West as usual ... when they criticise the government trying to prevent violence and punish the perpetrators of that violence, we take the position that they can go hang," Mugabe said after a meeting with Tanzanian leader Jikaya Kikwete.
Images of a battered Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai going to court after his arrest on Sunday have brought condemnation from several countries including Ireland.
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe
But Mr Mugabe (83), Zimbabwe's sole ruler since independence from Britain in 1980, showed no sign of softening his approach.
His government accused Mr Tsvangirai and his supporters of inciting violence to overthrow the administration and warned their campaign would end in "grief".
Political tensions have increased in recent weeks over of plans by the president to extend his rule.
"Those who incite violence, or actually cause and participate in unleashing it, are set to pay a very heavy price, regardless of who they are," Information Minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu said in the statement.
Rights groups say 50 opposition figures, including Mr Tsvangirai, were tortured after their arrest during a prayer meeting organised by a coalition of opposition, church and civic groups.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern last night condemned the actions of the Zimbabwean police. "The Zimbabwean government must cease suppressing the basic fundamental rights of its people," he said in a statement.
Washington said yesterday it was looking at what additional sanctions it might impose on Zimbabwe.
Mr Tsvangirai, speaking to a radio reporter from his hospital bed yesterday, said he was attacked after arriving at a police station to check on supporters who had been detained with him on Sunday when the government broke up a planned prayer vigil.
"It was almost as if they were waiting for me," he said in remarks broadcast on South Africa's national radio. "Before I could even settle down I was subjected to a lot of beatings, in fact it was random beatings, but I think the intention was to inflict as much harm as they could."
Mr Tsvangirai is was now in intensive care.