Pauker was arrested on 18 February 1953 and subjected to tightened interrogations and a soft form of torture in preparation for a show trial, as had occurred with Rudolf Slánský and others in the Prague Trials.
Paukerová bola zatknutá 18. februára 1953 a podstúpila predĺžené vypočúvanie v príprave na politický proces, tak ako tomu bolo u Rudolfa Slánskeho a ostatných v Pražskom procese.