Zimbabwe's opposition leader Mr Morgan Tsvangirai appeared in court today to face charges of plotting to assassinate President Robert Mugabe in a bid to seize power in the troubled African country.
The trial was delayed after baton-wielding police tried to bar reporters, diplomats, and supporters of Mr Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) from the High Court in Harare, sparking scuffles with the crowd gathered outside.
At least one local freelance reporter was arrested in the fracas, which ended when defence lawyers won an order from presiding Justice Paddington Garwe to admit the media and other observers.
Mr Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's most influential opposition politician, and two other senior MDC officials have been charged with plotting to assassinate Mr Mugabe during a meeting with Canadian public relations consultants last year.
If convicted of treason, they could face the death penalty.
Today all three men entered not guilty pleas as government prosecutors outlined what they said was a plot to overthrow Mr Mugabe, who has been in power since leading the country to independence from Britain in 1980.
In an interview with the BBC today, Mr Tsvangirai repeated that he was "not guilty at all" of the plot charges, which he has described as an effort to discredit the MDC.
"I certainly believe that the whole nation will become disgusted by this kangaroo court," Mr Tsvangirai said.