EU demands access to Zimbabwe opposition leader

BERLIN (Reuters) - European Union president Germany demanded access to Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai and other opposition politicians who were arrested again on Wednesday.

German Foreign Ministry spokesman Jens Ploetner said Berlin was "deeply concerned" about the latest news out of Harare.

"The EU presidency holds Zimbabwe's leadership responsible in this situation for the physical well-being of Mr Tsvangirai and his colleagues," he told reporters.

"We demand that they are immediately granted access to legal and medical aid and that representatives of the EU presidency are given access to them," Ploetner said.

He urged Zimbabwe to follow the rules of civil society and respect the human rights of the detained politicians.

Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett said the arrests of the opposition politicians were a move "calculated not only to prevent them from legitimately expressing their views but to intimidate.

"I unreservedly condemn these actions and call for the immediate release of those arrested.

"I strongly urge Mugabe and the Zimbabwean regime to heed the calls made by so many of the international community and their African neighbours to stop the oppression of the Zimbabwean people and respect their human rights."