Zimbabwe court releases leading rights lawyer on $500 bail

HARARE (Reuters) - Leading Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa was released on bail on Monday after spending a week in jail in a case that has raised concerns about a crackdown by President Robert Mugabe's security forces before elections.

Mtetwa, who has won international awards for her defence of journalists and opposition politicians, and four aides of Mugabe rival Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai were arrested on March 17, a day after Zimbabweans voted to curb presidential powers.