Zimbabwe police arrest 18 political activists in latest clampdown

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa during his inauguration ceremony at the National Sports Stadium in Harare in September 2023 (Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP)

Zimbabwe police have arrested 18 political activists, taking some of them off a plane in the latest clampdown by the government after warning it would crush opposition protests ahead of its hosting of a meeting of the southern African heads of state this month.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights group said it was representing the activists, who were detained on Wednesday.