BLANTYRE, MALAWI - Pressure is mounting on Malawi's government to release three activists detained this week for planning to hold protests aimed at shutting down presidential residences.

Two members of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) - vice chairperson Gift Trapence and member Macdonald Sembereka - were arrested Sunday after saying they would organize demonstrations. HRDC chairperson Timothy Mtambo surrendered to police Tuesday.