protestors to go back to where they had come from. As the crowd was walking away, a truck transporting up to 15 police officers arrived and arrested four of the members of RoHRZ, including the vice chairman and national chairman. The rest of the members were sent away, and walked to the organization’s offices, about 10 minutes away. About 30 to 45 minutes later, a truck full of riot police arrived at the offices, forced the members outside, and started beating them with batons. Police then arrested 25 of the members and took them to Harare Central Police station. One of the activists told Human Rights Watch about their treatment beginning at the RoHRZ offices: A policeman hit me on the nose with his fist and then hit me with his baton on my back and on my feet. It was raining; they took us outside and made us lie down in the dirty water and made us crawl as we were being beaten. In the car they were hitting us again and made us put our dirty shoes in our mouths. At the station they told us, “You will never take the president out of power. It will never happen.”57 According to medical examinations, most of the activists sustained numerous bruises consistent with beatings with a blunt object.58 Those arrested were made to pay fines for “disorderly conduct or conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace” under the Miscellaneous Offences Act. The vice chairperson of RoHRZ was charged with violating the POSA for “failure to notify the regulating authority to hold public procession or demonstration.”59 57 Ibid. 58 Human Rights Watch interviews with medical personnel (names withheld), Harare, February 11, 2008. Documents from medical personnel who treated the activists privately show that they received extensive bruising and swellings to various parts of their bodies including the legs, buttocks, and back. The document also highlighted that “for the first time there were reports and evidence of heavy beatings on the palmar surfaces of the hands which is very painful.” 59 Section (25) (5) of POSA amendment number 18/ 2007. Human Rights Watch interview with Tafadzwa Mugabe, lawyer, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Harare, February 6, 2008. All Over Again 24