HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe has sharply criticized the United States for expressing concern about its human rights record, saying U.S. critics "can go hang on a banana tree."

Zimbabwe's state-run Herald newspaper on Tuesday also quoted presidential spokesman George Charamba as saying U.S. Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. is "a leftover from a terrible era."

Charamba appeared to be referring to past U.S. administrations that have had testy relations with Zimbabwe.

On Monday, the U.S. Embassy expressed deep concern about what it called the "continuing deterioration" of human rights in Zimbabwe.

The American statement followed the arrest last week of Evan Mawarire, a Zimbabwean pastor who launched a popular protest movement on social media dubbed #ThisFlag.

Mawarire was arrested on his return to Zimbabwe after going to the United States last year.