E/CN.4/1994/31 page 106 502. It was also reported that in the north-east torture and ill-treatment of prisoners continued in military, Special Task Force and police custody. Methods of torture include severe beatings; electric shocks; burning with cigarettes or matches; pouring petrol into prisoners’ nostrils and then placing a plastic bag over their heads; suspending prisoners from their thumbs and beating them; beating with barbed wire and repeatedly submerging prisoners’ heads in water while they were suspended from their ankles. Women have reported being raped by soldiers. Torture was also reported to occur in both police and military custody in the south with respect to political detainees arrested under the Emergency Regulations and the PTA, as well as criminal suspects. It was further reported that, in the majority of cases, victims of torture do not file complaints or report their cases to governmental or non-governmental bodies for fear of reprisals. 503. In addition to the foregoing the Special Rapporteur received affidavits concerning the following two cases: (a) Sinnathurai Mohan, from Mylanny North, Chunnakam, went to Thirukeetheswamram on 16 January 1991 for reasons related to his business. On the boat to Vidathiilithivu he was reportedly arrested by members of the Sri Lankan navy together with three other persons. After being beaten he was allegedly handed over to the Sri Lanka army which took him to the Thallady army camp where he was allegedly beaten again and hung by the thumbs of his hands. For the three following days he was made to stay in a room called the "meat stall" as it was covered in a pool of blood. On 17 November 1991 he was taken to the Kalutara prison where he was frequently assaulted. He was released in August 1992. (b) Packinyanathan Anton was arrested at sea on 14 October 1990 by members of the Sri Lankan navy and taken to Karainagar camp where, for several days, he was reportedly hung upside-down and beaten with iron rods and clubs. He was subsequently transferred to the Palaly prison where he was reportedly forced to eat pieces of shoe leather and cotton dipped in diesel oil. For some months, the beatings reportedly continued and he was kept blindfolded and handcuffed. He was released in July 1993. Sudan Urgent appeals transmitted to the Government and replies received 504. During the period under review the Special Rapporteur sent 12 urgent appeals to the Government on behalf of persons said to have been arrested and to be at risk of being tortured. Summaries of these appeals are reproduced in the following paragraphs. The dates on which they were sent appear in parentheses at the end of each summary. 505. Sayed Ahmed Abdel Rahman El Mahadi, an Ansar leader and former Minister of the Interior, was reportedly arrested by members of the security forces who stormed into his house on 17 April 1993. According to the reports, his son Mohamed was also arrested and brutally beaten while in detention and was later left unconscious near his house in Omdurman. (28 April 1993)