Familia sedans outside.77 Another MDC activist, Ghandi Mudzingwa was abducted by unidentified men in Harare on the same day.78 Police initially denied holding Mukoko and her colleagues. However, on December 22, lawyers working on the cases learned that the 32 activists were in various police stations in Harare.79 They had been held by the security forces in unknown detention centers for between two and eight weeks. On December 24, Mukoko, Takawira and six MDC members (Pieta Kaseke, Violet Mupfuranhehwe, Fidelis Chiramba, Collen Mutemagau, Concillia Chinanzvavana, and Emmanuel Chinanzvavana) were arraigned before the Harare Magistrate’s Court.80 The eight were accused of contravening section 24(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. The police alleged they had recruited or attempted to recruit individuals for training in banditry, insurgency, sabotage, or terrorism, which can carry a life sentence if convicted. Responding to an urgent high court application for the detainees’ release, Justice Yunus Omerjee ruled the detention of the six MDC members was unlawful and ordered their immediate release.81 He also ordered that Mukoko and Takawira be sent to the Avenues Clinic for medical treatment. Police did not comply with any of the orders. The state then successfully appealed to the Supreme Court for the continued detention of the activists, and police moved all eight from Harare remand prison to the notorious Chikurubi maximum security and Chikurubi female prisons. This included Mupfuranhehwe and her infant son.82 Mukoko told her lawyers that, during her 19-day detention, CIO agents and police officers repeatedly beat her on the soles of her feet with rubber truncheons, forced her to kneel on gravel for hours under interrogation, and threatened her life. She said she was forced to “confess” on camera about her alleged role in recruiting people to overthrow the government. The other activists charged with Mukoko also allege torture during their detention.83 77 Ibid. 78 “Zimbabwe: End Enforced Disappearances,” Human Rights Watch news release, December 19, 2008, http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2008/12/19/zimbabwe-end-enforced-disappearances 79 Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, statement on abductions, December 24, 2008. On file with Human Rights Watch. 80 Ibid. 81 Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, updates and timelines on abductions, January 6, 2009. On file with Human Rights Watch 82 Ibid. 83 Ibid. 25 Human Rights Watch January 2009