E/CN.4/2001/66 page 131 connected to electric current and that with every blow she experienced excruciating pain in her head. She eventually fainted from the pain. She eventually agreed to sign a confession. She spent that night handcuffed to a radiator in a cell in the ROVD and was reportedly deprived of sleep for another three nights, beaten with rubber truncheons and raped. During her trial the court did not take into consideration her allegations of torture and she was later convicted of murder. 673. The Government denied the allegations of torture and indicated that she had been convicted by the South Kazakhstan oblast-level court on 20 October 1999 on charges of leading an organized criminal band, illegal acquisition of firearms and armed robbery. The judgement was upheld by the Supreme Court. In both trials, she stated that she had been tortured and her allegations were each time carefully investigated. She was interrogated in accordance with the requirements of the law governing criminal proceedings and in the presence of her lawyer. 674. In February 2000, police in Zhanatas reportedly detained 11 young men aged between 17 and 20 on suspicion of having participated in a fight during which a police officer was injured. Most of the detainees claimed that they were severely beaten while in police custody. Kairat Seidahmetov (aged 17) reportedly had a volume of the Kazak Criminal Code placed on his head and was then hit with truncheons. Zhandos Zhandarbekov’s arms were reportedly broken. Baglanov allegedly had his feet cut with a knife. Kurmangazay Bogubaev allegedly had his neck broken. The detainees also claimed that they had needles stuck under their fingernails. They had no access to lawyers or medical assistance and their families were said to have only been informed of their whereabouts eight days after their detention. In court all of them are said to have retracted their confessions and stated that they had been extracted under duress. The court did not take these allegations into consideration when reaching its verdict. Kairat Seidahmetov and two other co-accused were reported to have cut their necks with a blade in the courtroom in protest at the verdict. Kairat Seidahmetov died from his injuries later that day. The torture allegations are said to have sparked mass protests in Zhanatas. As a result the Zhanatas chief of police was reportedly dismissed from his post and a criminal investigation opened into the conduct of the police officers responsible. However, the investigation was reportedly closed without the torture allegations having been examined. 675. The Government indicated that Kayrat Seidahmetov, Kuat Saparbaev and Nurzhan Isakhanov had been found guilty of malicious delinquency and robbery by the Sarysu district court in Djantas, Djambul oblast and sentenced to six, four and three and a half years’ imprisonment respectively. The other young men detained were found guilty of delinquency in the same judgement but were amnestied on 13 July 1999. Regarding the allegations that some defendants cut their throat in protest when the judgement was pronounced, the Government indicated that they had used sharp unidentified objects to inflict upon themselves slight injuries (superficial cuts) and that they were given immediate medical attention. Kayrat Seidahmetov was currently serving his sentence at the ordinary-regime penal colony in Taraz. The claims that Bugybaev’s neck and Zhandarbekov’s arm were broken during the judicial proceedings are unfounded. Following complaints from the parents that their sons were subjected to physical pressure during interrogation, medical checks had been carried out at that time. No bodily injuries were discovered. An inquiry was also opened by the Djambul oblast procurator’s office and the Internal Affairs investigating service for South Kazakhstan oblast terminated the proceedings for lack of evidence. This decision was upheld by the Office of the