Tales of torture in Zimbabwe

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) - With polls open for a Zimbabwe runoff election that opposition politicians and international observers call a sham, alleged torture victims who support former candidate Morgan Tsvangirai said Friday they back his decision to pull out of the race.

"It's a good move by my president, Morgan Tsvangirai," said a 26-year-old Movement for Democratic Change activist who said he was forced to stand on hot coals and had boiling water poured on him about a week ago. "There's no use going for an election."

The man, who displayed a large, pale, blistered patch on his back, asked not to be identified - as did others being treated at a private hospital in Harare - for fear of further attacks by gangs supportive of President Robert Mugabe.

All of the victims said they were taken to "torture bases" by the gangs - made up of young men and soldiers. A man and a woman, both of whom were treated for broken hands at the hospital, said they were tortured and had boiling water poured on their genitals for being MDC supporters. The man said he was forced to drink sewage.