The government of the Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe, has warned that the opposition would pay 'a heavy price' for what it called a campaign of violence to oust it from power.
The warning came as the Opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, was being treated in intensive care in hospital.
He and some of the 49 other activists who were arrested at an anti-government rally on Sunday said they had been tortured while in custody.
His official spokesman said Mr Tsvangirai needed a number of blood transfusions.
Speaking from his hospital bed, Mr Tsvangirai said he had also needed six stitches to his head and suffered a broken arm.
He and other activists were in court yesterday, expecting to face charges in connection with Sunday's protest rally, during which they were arrested.
However, when prosecutors failed to turn up at the court hearing, they all left. A lawyer for some of them said the prosecution could 'proceed by way of summons' if it chose to.
Mr Tsvangirai was one of several of those detained who had cuts and bruises when they were brought to the court.
International criticism
The Zimbabwean government has come in for unprecedented criticism over the incident, with even South Africa issuing a rare public rebuke over the treatment of Mr Tsvangirai.
But President Robert Mugabe's regime has maintained that it will do whatever it feels necessary to stifle the 'rowdy elements fanning violence in the country'.
Opposition to the 83-year-old dictator, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, has steadily mounted amid an economic meltdown in Zimbabwe.
Inflation is running at 1,730% and there are widespread food shortages in the one-time bread basket of southern Africa.
In a weekend interview, Mr Mugabe signalled his intention to secure another term of office in elections scheduled for next year.
