4.2 Examinations of victims The examinations followed the standard IRCT medical questionnaire for examining torture victims. There was emphasis on the following: creating trust and confidence; health state before torture; education; social and family situation; emphasis on alleged physical, psychological and social methods of torture; Torture: subjective complaints (physical, psychological and social) Medical examination: objective physical findings objective psychological findings 5. Findings 5.1 Cases seen 5.1.1 Case A: History Mr N.N. has been a civil rights leader in X district for the past three years. On 13 May at midnight he was at home asleep with his wife and child. He heard a knock at the door and was told to come out by a voice that he recognised. Upon opening the door he saw about 20 armed men with axes, knobkerries, iron bars and pistols. He was able to identify one of them who was a war veteran and neighbour. He tried to close the door but it was chopped down with axes. The assailants threatened to throw petrol on his house so he told them to let his wife and child go. A Shona speaking man told him to step outside while they searched the house for MDC cards. He was told that his wife would die but others among the attackers felt pity for the child who would become an orphan and thinks he was spared for this reason. When he stepped out they asked him to lie down whereupon he was beaten with branches with thorns on them. He was also beaten under the feet and has many thorns in his legs. Another man tried to axe him, when he asked why this was being done to him there was no answer. They took him 200 metres away and started to beat him on the chest and head with a knobkerrie, then he passed out. He estimates that this took place over a span of 3 hours. He was left for dead. When he recovered consciousness he realised he had been beaten all over the body. He went to his house and saw that all the doors had been broken. People in the area had identified him as the MDC Chairman. They also beat another man with him when he was being 15