E/CN.4/1996/35/Add.1 page 73 In the cell he was allegedly beaten severely and his body and head were struck against a wall. He died in detention on 27 April 1995. An autopsy, conducted by a team which included an independent pathologist, revealed that he had died of injuries to his head occurring while in detention. 395. The Special Rapporteur also informed the Government that he had received new information in the case of Ahmad Ibrahim Sa’id, on whose behalf an urgent appeal had been transmitted on 17 November 1994. In that appeal, the Special Rapporteur had indicated that Ahmad Ibrahim Sa’id, during his detention in Ramallah and Ashkelon prisons, had allegedly been hooded, beaten, shackled in painful positions for prolonged periods, deprived of sleep, forced to stand for up to 18 to 20 hours per day and forced to sit on a chair in an uncomfortable position with his hands tied while interrogators pushed him in an attempt to make him fall. He was also said to have been threatened that he would be paralyzed and unable to have children following his interrogation. The source of this information reaffirmed this account and added that Ahmad Ibrahim Sa’id had been brought to trial on 22 November 1994, charged with illegal possession and transfer of a revolver and passing messages for Hamas. He was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment, 23 of which were suspended, and was released on 12 January 1995. Urgent appeals sent and replies received 396. On 31 March 1995 the Special Rapporteur sent an appeal in conjunction with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention concerning the situation of prisoners held at the Al-Khyam prison, in the Marjouyun region of south Lebanon, territory reported to be controlled by the Israeli Defence Forces. Approximately 260 persons had been detained in the prison for a number of years without being charged or sentenced by any court and without notification of the reasons of their detention. Lawyers and humanitarian organizations were allegedly refused permission to visit them and family visits had been authorized only since 31 January 1995. Many of the prisoners were said to suffer from serious diseases as a result of harsh living conditions, subjection to torture and ill-treatment and denial of medical care. Others had allegedly died in the prison or shortly after being released, such as Selim Awada and Ali Al-Ghoul, who died in September and December 1994, respectively. 397. On 30 May 1995 the Government replied that Khiam prison had always been and remained solely under control of the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and that therefore all inquiries concerning the prison should be addressed to them. 398. The Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal on 25 April 1995 on behalf of Khaled Farraj, from Jalazun Refugee Camp near Ramallah, who was reportedly arrested on 21 March 1995 and had since been under interrogation by the GSS at both Ramallah prison and the Russian Compound in Jerusalem. He allegedly was hooded, deprived of sleep, except for three to four hours of sleep every four to five days, tied with hosing to a chair with uneven legs for prolonged periods and subjected to cold temperatures. He was told that his interrogation would continue until a confession was obtained.