E/CN.4/2000/9 page 92 indicated that on 20 October 1998, the Papeete Correctional Court handed down its decision in the so-called Faa'a urban violence case. The persons mentioned by the Special Rapporteur in his communication had been found guilty, and three of them had been sentenced. Concerning the complaint filed by Henri Temaititahio against person or persons unknown for bodily harm and gross negligence at the time of his questioning, which 12 other people have joined in submitting, the Government indicated that an investigation has been undertaken. Medical expert analysis revealed that Mr. Temaititahio had sustained traumatic injuries resulting in temporary work incapacity of ten days' duration and that JeanMichel Garrigues had undergone craniofacial traumatism without loss of consciousness. No long-term effects of the events in question had been observed, however. The police officers, who testified under letter of request, disputed the claims of ill-treatment but acknowledged that they had acted with firmness in view of the circumstances. On 30 June 1998, the examining magistrate ordered the case dismissed on the grounds that the inquiry failed to attribute the violent acts to the law enforcement agents. The Government indicated that that order had been appealed and that, by a ruling dated 1 September 1998, the Court of Appeals had ordered supplementary investigations, which were now being carried out. 452. By letter dated 3 February 1999, the Government responded on the final case cited in the communication of August 1996 (see E/CN.4/1997/7/Add.1, para. 159). It informed the Special Rapporteur that the sergeant and two policemen accused of deliberate acts of violence against Sid Hamed Amiri had been removed from office by ministerial order dated 23 March 1998. On 25 March 1998, all three had been given a suspended sentence of 12 months' imprisonment by the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeals and were definitively disqualified from serving as police officers. One of the police officers has applied for judicial review of the case. Georgia Regular communications and replies received 453. By letter dated 29 November 1999, the Special Rapporteur advised the Government that he had received information according to which beatings and ill-treatment have been reported in the army, which, together with poor living and sanitary conditions and brutal hazing, are said to have caused many desertions. New recruits in particular are allegedly subjected to brutal treatment, including severe beatings. Army officers are said to frequently consent and/or participate in such practices. They are believed to condone these practices as a means of maintaining discipline. 454. The Special Rapporteur has received information on the following individual cases. 455. Aka Sulava, a journalist and human rights activist, was allegedly severely beaten on 1 February 1999, by four unidentified assailants. It is believed that these assailants were supported by the Tbilisi police, as the victim had already been threatened in connection with exposing several cases of police violence. As a result, he reportedly sustained severe injuries to his legs, back and head. The police have reportedly refused to open an investigation.