afrol News, 13 March - Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of Zimbabwe's opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), was today taken to hospital after sustaining heavy injuries during torture while in police detention. The MDC leader, together with other bruised and bandaged party officials and activists, were released through a High Court order, but in practical terms remain under police surveillance.
Mr Tsvangirai, Arthur Mutambara - who leads a breakaway fraction of the MDC - and several party officials and anti-government activists were detained by riot police at a protest rally in Harare on Sunday. Riot police further used tear gas and excessive violence to disperse the crowds and shot dead one opposition activist, identified as Gift Tandare.
Already on Monday, the opposition and Zimbabwean medics started reporting that Mr Tsvangirai, Mr Mutambara and other activists were being severely tortured while in police custody. There were reports about police beating, injuries to the heads of the two leaders and fractions sustained by other activists.
These suspicions were fully documented today, as the opposition leaders and activists were let to present their causes at a Harare High Court, where their lawyers had demanded their immediate release. A full press corps was able to observe the opposition celebrities entering and leaving the court with heavy bruises, bandages, crutches or even carried on stretchers.
Mr Tsvangirai was among the most beaten, judging from his appearance. The MDC leader seemed severely disoriented and exhausted. His face was swollen from the beatings, there were signs of a stitched deep wound, he barely managed see through his swollen right eye while the other was too swollen to open. Seemingly dizzy and abnormally short-worded, he leaned upon supporters on his way out of court.
Also Mr Mutambara had visible head wounds. Most severely beaten, however, appeared Lovemore Madhuku, leader of the civic group National Constitutional Assembly (NCA). Mr Madhuku had his head and right arm bandaged, and it appeared he had sustained several fractures.
The three leaders and over 40 other activists were taken to a Harare hospital after the court hearings, where Justice Chinembiri Bhunu gave the MDC lawyers an almost total support. The judge ordered the protesters' immediate release and their hospitalisation. Opposition sources however claim Mr Tsvangirai is still under police supervision, despite court orders.
The attorney general accused the activists and politicians of incitement to violence during the Sunday rally. But the court, and even the state prosecutor, seemed more shocked about the physical state of the accused, one of whom collapsed during the hearings. MDC lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa did not even bother asking for bail, but demanded the immediate release and transport to a hospital for her clients. The judge found no reason to disagree.
Shocked by this exposure of extreme brutality by the Mugabe regime of Zimbabwe, pro-democracy activists have already sworn renewed unity to bring about a change of regime. MDC fraction leaders Tsvangirai and Mutambara already have voiced intentions to reunite the country's major opposition party. Among Zimbabweans at large, the desire to riot is growing day by day.
The open acts of torture also shocked foreign representatives at the Harare court. British Ambassador Andrew Pocock told the press he had found the incident "damn barbaric." He added that MDC officials had already signalled to him they were now more eager than ever to unite to overthrow the Mugabe regime.
US Ambassador Christopher Dell said that the Washington government was "deeply shocked and saddened that the government of Zimbabwe feels that it has to resort to such brutal tactics against its own people." Also US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, demanded the immediate release of the protesters. "The world community again has been shown that the regime of Robert Mugabe is ruthless and repressive and creates only suffering for the people of Zimbabwe," Ms Rice said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe police is continuing its clampdown on the opposition. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) today reported that police had raided the main office in Harare, threatening and beating up the union's staff. ZCTU has been among the main groups organising strikes and protest actions against the Mugabe regime.
President Mugabe himself has not made official statements regarding the new wave of police brutality. Reports from Harare however indicate that the President is losing support among his inner circle - the ruling party and army leaders. The same sources hold that Mr Mugabe is considering placing the country under a state of emergency within short in a last attempt to meet the rising popular anger.
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