Defense lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa says police have defied at least two court orders to free them and ignored a magistrate’s ruling that they be allowed visits from private doctors.

The defense team wants the police commissioner and attorney general to be summoned to the High Court for contempt of a Christmas Eve ruling. It called for the activists to be transferred to a hospital for investigation of alleged torture.

The High Court bid came just hours after a magistrate ruled Wednesday that the activists, accused of plotting to overthrow President Robert Mugabe, should remain in custody until Jan. 5.