4 October 2006
Press Statement
Nature of Injuries of Tortured ZCTU Members

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) states that the medically confirmed and documented pattern of injuries sustained by the Harare and Chitungwiza ZCTU members who were arrested on 13 September 2006 and detained in police custody until 15 September 2006 is consistent with the testimony given by the ZCTU members themselves.
This is, that these were injuries consistent with beatings with blunt objects, heavy enough to cause fractures (9 fractures in 7 individuals) to hands and arms and severe and multiple soft tissue injuries to the backs of the head, shoulders, arms, buttocks and thighs (29 individuals).
Soft tissue injuries to the soles of the feet (8 individuals), are also consistent with beatings, and correspond to the torture method called Falanga, which can leave a torture victim having difficulty with normal walking for the rest of his or her life.

The Medical examinations of the arrested ZCTU members showed no skin abrasions. Abrasions would necessarily result from the shearing forces associated with falling from a moving vehicle.