Zimbabwean police have released two opposition officials whohad been arrested on their way to South Africa for medicaltreatment after assaults by security forces.

Police released the women on Thursday in accordance with acourt ruling, according to their lawyer. 

"Sekai Holland and Grace Kwinje have been released frompolice custody following an order by [high court judge] Justice BharatPatel," Alec Muchadehama, a lawyer for the two, told the AFP news agency. 

Sekai Holland, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)secretary for policy and research, and Grace Kwinje, the party's internationalrelations chief, were among scores of opposition officials andactivists who were beaten by security forces sent to block ananti-government rally in Harare, Zimbabwe'scapital, almost two weeks ago.

Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC leader, was also assaulted at therally.

Holland and Kwinje had been under police guard at theprivate Avenues clinic in Harare after they were arrested and their passportsseized at Harare international airport on Saturday, from where they hadbeen due to fly to South Africa. 

Muchadehama said Kwinje and Holland'sinjuries were serious and that they required urgent specialist attention thatwas available only in South Africa.

The court ordered that, while Hollandand Kwinje were outside Zimbabwe,their lawyers notify the police of the pair's whereabouts.

Police have also returned the passport of Arthur Mutambara,leader of a breakaway opposition faction also arrested at the airport as hesought to fly out of the country.

Nelson Chamisa, an MDC legislator who also suffered seriousinjuries when he was picked up by suspected state security agents as heattempted to leave the country to attend an EU parlimentary meeting,was still hospitalised on Thursday

Source:Agencies