Zimbabwe opposition politician facing death penalty

A leading member of Zimbabwe's opposition party is to be charged with treason, which carries the death penalty, police said today.

Tendai Biti, the secretary-general of the Movement for Democratic Change party, will also be charged with making false statements.

Mr Biti was arrested today at Harare airport on returning from South Africa.

The treason charge relates to documents police said were linked to Mr Biti and discuss changing Zimbabwe's government.

The second charge refers to accusations that Mr Biti, chief aide to the MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, announced election results before the official count was released.

Meanwhile Mr Tsvangirai was also arrested after being stopped at a police roadblock in the south of the country.

It is the third time he has been detained since he returned to campaign in the presidential run-off election later this month.