Two of Zimbabwe's top human rights lawyers were released on bail Monday, one day after a High Court Justice ordered their release.

Alec Muchadehama and Andrew Makoni, both members of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, were arrested Friday outside the High Court, where they were attempting to preserve the rights of the jailed government opponents to obtain bail. They had submitted papers opposing a government attempt to bar judges from granting bail to opposition activists.

The government accused Muchadehama and Makoni of obstruction. Their legal counsel filed urgent applications for their release, and High Court Judge Justice Tedias Karwi complied, calling the detentions unlawful.

"Considering that in the past police have not adhered to high court orders, this is a very welcome development," said Grace Kwinjeh, deputy secretary for international affairs of the main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change.

The arrests of Muchadehama and Makoni were widely condemned. "We are witnessing an extremely worrying turn in the rule of law situation in Zimbabwe," Mark Ellis, Executive Director of the International Bar Association told New Zimbabwe, a news website based in London.

"President Mugabe's government has escalated attacks on political dissenters in recent weeks and no effective international action is being taken to stop the flagrant violation of international law in that country. Lawyers who denounce these attacks on fundamental freedoms and defend victims are now targets," he said.

Lawyers in Zimbabwe planned to march Tuesday to demonstration against the government's harsh treatment.