E/CN.4/2000/9 page 38 Urgent appeals and replies received 169. On 13 July 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal jointly with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions on behalf of Léonidas Hatungimana, Djamali Nsabimana, Ismail Hussein, Haruna Hamadi, Bosco Nyandwi, Saïdi Nzanzurwimo and Pierre Nkurunziza, who were allegedly condemned to death in February 1998 by the Bujumbura Court of Appeals. They were reportedly indicted in connection with mine explosions in Bujumbura in 1997. In order to extract incriminating confessions from them, they were allegedly tortured. During their trial, the marks of the ill-treatment to which they had been subjected were clearly visible but, it is said, this fact was not brought up during the trial. The rulings were upheld on 29 March 1999 by the Cassation Chamber of the Bujumbura Supreme Court. The seven people mentioned above are currently detained in apparently overcrowded punishment cells in the Mpimba central prison at Bujumbura. 170. On 5 October 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal on behalf of Déo Nzeyimana and his wife, Georgette Mpawenimana, who have allegedly been detained in the Special Investigation Brigade of Bujumbura since 26 September 1999 and are being deprived of food in order to punish them and obtain confessions. Georgette Mpawenimana, who is involved in a community reconstruction project financed by Switzerland and France, is reportedly accused of having links to the armed opposition. Both are allegedly members of the Front for Democracy in Burundi. In addition, Déo Nzeyimana was struck on the soles of the feet. Cameroon Regular communications and replies received 171. By letter dated 8 November 1999, the Special Rapporteur reminded the Government of a number of cases transmitted in 1998 regarding which no response had been received. Urgent appeals and replies received 172. On 2 June 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal on behalf of Abdoulaye Math, a lawyer, Semdu Soelay and the members of the Movement for the Defence of Human Rights and Freedoms (MDDHL) of Maroua, whom he had met on 17 May 1999 during his fact-finding mission to Cameroon. At that time they gave him information on an anti-gang unit based at Maroua and headed by Colonel Pom. On 28 May 1999, it is reported, several members of the anti-gang unit got out of three trucks and, under Colonel Pom's direction, surrounded the house of Mr. Math, who had taken refuge with a neighbour. The units were reportedly posted in sniper position around Mr. Math's house all night. On the night of 29 May 1999, the units allegedly took up the same position around the house of Mr. Math's associate, Semdu Soelay. Fearing for his life, Mr. Math fled to Yaoundé, where he was to be joined by Semdu Soelay. According to the information received, the police are searching for them in various hotels in that city. 173. On 26 November 1999, the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal jointly with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions on behalf of Tchambou, a member of the MDDHL of Maroua, who was allegedly arrested on the morning of 21 November 1999 by police officers and members of the antigang brigade. He was detained at the police station before being transferred