Accounts from victims, lawyers, and medical experts show that torture and other mistreatment of activists has become widespread in Zimbabwe’s police stations.43 Alec Muchadehama, a human rights lawyer who has represented human rights defenders and political activists around the country, told Human Rights Watch: Most of our clients are assaulted and ill-treated while in custody. In every group we represent you find complaints of assault. Some of them are quite severe. The police equate human rights and demonstrations with the opposition. During the assaults the police tell our clients they are punishing them for trying to topple the government.44 Cases of torture and mistreatment Police torture and mistreatment of student activists The police appear to have singled out student activists for particularly brutal treatment; due to their history of political activism, students are seen as a threat by the authorities in Zimbabwe. They are often accused of belonging to the political opposition or even of trying to overthrow the government. The police regularly disrupt student meetings, and student leaders in particular face constant harassment and intimidation from the police.45 Since May 2006 university students throughout the country have organized several public demonstrations against unpopular government policies and actions.46 The Zimbabwean authorities have responded to these demonstrations with mass arrests and violence, and arrests and torture of students has taken place outside the context of demonstrations as well. Human Rights Watch interviewed a number of students 43 During the research mission to Harare for this report (Sepember 25–October 5, 2006) Human Rights Watch heard victim accounts and other credible reports of incidents of severe beatings and mistreatment of civil society activists at Harare, Matapi and Avondale police stations in Harare, Mutare police station in Manicaland province, and Bindura police station in Mashonaland Central province. 44 Human Rights Watch interview with Alec Muchadehama, Harare, October 4, 2006. 45 Human Rights Watch interviews with student activists Promise Mkwanazi and Zwelithini Viki, Harare, September 26, and with representatives of the Student Solidarity Trust, Harare, September 27, 2006. 46 In response to a change in fee structure and a hike in student fees students demonstrated at the University of Bindura, University of Bulawayo, University of Zimbabwe, and the Chinhoyi University of Technology. “you will be thoroughly beaten” 16