Christian Aid has condemned the recent brutal assaults acted out on opposition and civic leaders in Zimbabwe, as their partners in the African country were arrested at a prayer rally Sunday, and have been released only recently after being tortured.

Christian Aid joins the international community in demanding basic human rights in Zimbabwe to be upheld by the State.

Opposition party leaders from the Movement for Democratic Change, were also arrested at the rally and later beaten and have publicly revealed their injuries following their release, Christian Aid reports.

The Chairperson of Christian Aid partner the Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA), Michael Jeffrey Davies, and a member of CHRA, known as Kalonga, were among the many opposition and civic leaders to have been arrested.

The rally, which was organised by the Save Zimbabwe Campaign on 11 March, was intended to be a peaceful prayer meeting. It descended into chaos when riot police stormed the gathering using teargas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. One person, Gift Tandare, was shot dead.

CHRA, together with Christian Aid partners the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) and Ecumenical Support Services (ESS) are three member agencies of the Save Zimbabwe Campaign. Michael Davies was at the prayer meeting representing CHRA.

As those arrested emerge from custody it became evident that many of them had been beaten while in detention.

Mr Davies and Mr Kalonga, together with a number of others arrested on Sunday, were released on 13 March, after two nights in detention. No charges have been pressed. Mr Kalonga is critically ill in hospital having been allegedly tortured.

CHRA say they are emboldened by the weekend's appalling events. "There is no turning back" said Mr Davies. "We will continue to apply pressure."