AP News, March 14th, 2007
The country's main opposition leader underwent a brain scan Wednesday, and his lawyer said he may have suffered a skull fracture and internal bleeding as a result of police beatings.
Morgan Tsvangirai was moved to a high care unit at a hospital, said lawyer Tafadza Mugabe.
Tsvangirai, 54, and other opposition figures were arrested at a prayer meeting Sunday in the latest crackdown on dissent by President Robert Mugabe's security forces and political supporters.
At a brief court appearance Tuesday, the right side of Tsvangirai's face was swollen, including his eyes. He appeared disoriented as he walked slowly and boarded an emergency vehicle unaided.
Another 34 activists were released from the private hospital in Harare early Wednesday and reunited with their families.
Those freed were told to return to the Harare magistrates' court when it opened Wednesday, but amid chaos at the court no proceedings were held and the activists returned to their homes.
Beatrice Mtwetwa, another lawyer for the group, and police were not present at the court.
"If they want us, the police can call us," she said.
Innocent Chagonda, Tsvangirai's lawyer, said police withdrew from Harare's Avenues Clinic later Wednesday. He said a High Court order issued late Monday ordered police to charge or release the opposition leaders and activists by noon on Tuesday. None was charged.
"As far as we are concerned, they are now free men," he said.
Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and colleagues from other opposition and civic groups were ferried in ambulances and buses from the magistrates' court Tuesday after the state agreed to let all those detained receive medical attention.
Many of them sustained severe bruising and internal injuries after police raided a prayer meeting Sunday that authorities had declared illegal.
