dressed in plainclothes but I suspect they were from the CIO [Central Intelligence Organization] because they said that they were from the president’s office. They finally released me without charge. I managed to identify three of the people who beat me and got their names and gave them to my lawyers who are proceeding with taking the case before the courts.49 In another incident in May 2006, lawyer Alec Muchadehama was asked to represent and secure the release of almost 200 students who were arrested by police during demonstrations at Bindura University. He spoke to Human Rights Watch about the case of 15 of the students who were reportedly severely beaten and mistreated by police and intelligence officers at Harare central police station, Bindura police station and Chikurubi maximum security prison: The students were badly assaulted. It was quite systematic. A group of them were taken to Chikurubi maximum security prison and held for between three and seven days. Some were held in solitary confinement for days while being interrogated. Mind you this is a prison for hardened criminals who have been found guilty, not suspects who are being investigated for a crime. In addition to the beatings, they were told to undress and perform humiliating games while naked such as imitating having sexual intercourse on the ground, all kinds of humiliating games. By the time we got them to court they were in a bad way both psychologically and physically. They went through a lot and all the charges against them were dropped.50 Medical records obtained from a government hospital for six of the students were shown to Human Rights Watch by lawyers representing the students. They show that the students sustained extensive soft tissue injuries including deep cuts, swellings, and severe bruises all over their bodies consistent with blows made by a blunt object. 49 Ibid. 50 Human Rights Watch interview with Alec Muchadehama, Harare, October 4, 2006. “you will be thoroughly beaten” 18