E/CN.4/2006/6/Add.5 page 26 34. The Government informed that he was not tortured or ill-treated, mentally or physically, during his detention in police custody. There was no sign of any injuries or wounds on his body. 35. Nanda Bahadur Karki, aged 19, a tenth grade student and journalist, Kotandanda VDC, Mugu district. At around 7.15 p.m. on 1 September 2005, he was stopped near the Kohalpur to Surkhet Road and questioned by several police and RNA personnel. After a search of his person revealed copies of the pro-Maoist weekly, Janadesh, he was slapped on the face and beaten six times on the back with a stick until it broke. No arrest warrant was shown. He was blindfolded, his hands were bound with rope, and he was taken to Kohalpur barracks, where he was kept overnight in an outdoor shelter. He was taken to the RNA Midwestern Division Headquarters (Pritna) and held in one of three steel-plated boxes (converted from observation posts), within a barbed wire compound. There an officer pressed a gun to his right temple, and another shoved the barrel of a rifle against his chest. He was kicked in the legs with spiked boots. He was shoved back and forth between soldiers in the rain, and questioned about Maoist activities. Over the seven-day period he was held at the Pritna barracks, he was taken every day from his cell and beaten in an open area, as well as subjected to mock executions. He was then transferred to the District Police Office, Nepalgunj, where he was detained for a day, accused of terrorist activities and threatened. Out of fear of further torture, he signed a confession. A case was filed against him, and he was remanded in pretrial detention in the Central Prison. Until the Special Rapporteur visited him, he had had no family visits. According to the medical examination, he was limping, exhibited swelling on his thigh and on the top of his head, and he sustained contusions on the left side of his chest, upper right arm, left knee, shin and ankle. The injuries and scars were produced by heavy blows, consistent with the alleged time and account. He needs immediate hospital treatment. The same day, the Special Rapporteur followed up the information he received with a visit to the District Police Office and met the Superintendent of Police, Mr. Lamichane. Upon inspection of the detention registry, it appeared that the records relating to Mr. Karki upon his transfer from Pritna barracks had been entered retroactively and did not contain information relating to his injuries, that any medical examination had been carried out, or any complaint. The Special Rapporteur was informed by Inspector J.N. Khanal, the officer who registered Mr. Karki, that he observed that the prisoner was not feeling well and was injured on his right arm. As the prisoner did not feel like speaking, he was not questioned further about what had happened to him. The interrogating officer, Sub-Inspector Prem Khadka, was unavailable as he had been sanctioned by departmental action and transferred to police headquarters. 36. Ms. Sita Negi, aged 31, Jimnin, Kanchanpur, originally from Baramdev VDC, Kanchanpur district. On 16 August 2004, she was arrested by eight RNA personnel in plain clothes following a Maoist women’s gathering in her village. She was beaten and taken to Bhaktapur, Suryadal barracks, where she was kept for three months. For the entire duration she was handcuffed, except during meals and visits to the toilet, and shackled. She was kicked with boots and beaten with sticks, hands, and an iron instrument approximately 1.5 m long, that resembled a hammer. She was hit on her legs and back. Her knees suffered a number of hard blows as did her right hand and her ribs. She was interrogated about her husband’s activities and on several occasions threatened with death. For the first seven days in detention she was continuously tortured. She was also taken out into the bright sunlight at midday and left there