They go around arresting people for various offenses… and hand them over to us at Harare Central. I have personally witnessed this on a number of occasions. The problem is that they do not know the law at all and they are not authorized to do that. But we cannot stop them because at all times they will be in the company of a senior police officer.143 Police Abuses since the Power-Sharing Agreement Since the signing of a power-sharing agreement between ZANU-PF and the MDC on September 15, there is no evidence that the conduct and attitude of the police towards critics of ZANU-PF have changed. On the day of the signing, police beat up and arrested several MDC supporters who came to witness the signing ceremony at Rainbow Towers in Harare and who later clashed with ZANU-PF supporters outside the venue.144 The police did not arrest any of the ZANU-PF supporters, while several MDC supporters were arrested and briefly detained.145 The MDC supporters were later released without charge on the same day. On September 17 riot police violently broke up a peaceful protest march by students at Bindura University (north of Harare) and detained 10 student leaders for more than 12 hours without food or water.146 The students, including seven women, were assaulted by police in custody. The police repeatedly told them that their mission was to “flush out and deal with the little MDC troublemakers at the institution.” The police also said the agreement between ZANU-PF and MDC was not relevant to police work. The students were later released without charge.147 In Masvingo on September 18 police arrested the president of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Takavafira Zhou. He was held without charge in solitary confinement for four days without access to water, a toilet or blankets, 143 Human Rights Watch interview with a police officer, Harare, August 29, 2008. 144 Human Rights Watch telephone interview with eyewitness to the arrests, September 15, 2008. 145 Human Rights Watch telephone interview with an eyewitness, September 15, 2008. 146 Human Rights Watch telephone interview with one of the arrested student leaders, September 21, 2008. 147 Ibid. 41 Human Rights Watch November 2008