Police in Malawi have arrested 11 protesters and used tear gas to disperse others outside parliament in the capital, Lilongwe, for holding an unauthorised gathering.
They were demonstrating about a controversial bill to borrow more than $115m (£83m).
Under Malawian law, people must tell the authorities if they plan to stage a demonstration, though they are not necessarily required to get permission.
Sylvester Namiwa, head of Centre for Democracy and Economic Development Initiatives (CDEDI), and 10 other members of the civil society group were arrested.
The CDEDI boss says the bill is contentious because it was brought to parliament without following procedures.
It allows for money to be borrowed from the London branch of the Bank of Baroda for the construction of houses for the police officers, prison warders and members of the immigration department.
Last week a presidential adviser and an finance ministry official were arrested on suspicion of involvement in the irregular submission of the bill, but they were both released on police bail. -BBC
