E/CN.4/1994/31 page 42 him to such torture as introducing his head into a plastic bag into which water was then poured. They also reportedly stuck pins under his nails and beat him. 186. By the same letter, of 26 August 1993, the Special Rapporteur reminded the Government of a number of cases transmitted in 1992 regarding which no reply had been received. Information submitted by the Government in connection with Commission resolution 1993/48 187. In pursuance of this resolution the Government provided information on the results of the anti-drug programme for the period 1990 to August 1993. It also stated that, following a terrorist attack carried out by drug traffickers on 15 April 1993 in Bogota which caused the death of 10 persons, further measures in the framework of the emergency legislation had been adopted. Observations 188. The Special Rapporteur is aware of the situation in Colombia, reflected in the Government’s letter of 24 July 1992 noted in his predecessor’s last report (E/CN.4/1993/26, para. 116) and characterized by brutal, violent acts of armed opposition groups and gangs of drug traffickers. The Government correctly does not claim that such acts, however atrocious in themselves, justify resort to torture by the official security forces or others acting with their complaisance. The Special Rapporteur looks forward to learning from the Government what measures it proposes to take to bring under control this problem which seems to be endemic, especially in zones of conflict. Cuba Information transmitted to the Government 189. By letter Government that alleged to have These cases are dated 3 November 1993 the Special Rapporteur informed the he had received information on seven cases of prisoners been grievously ill-treated in several prisons of the country. described in the following paragraphs. 190. Julio Pérez Benítez, 19 years old, a detainee at Agüica prison, province of Matanzas, was reportedly beaten on 19 May 1992 with rubber truncheons by a group of guards until he lost consciousness. 191. Manuel Benítez Hernández who is serving a sentence for enemy propaganda in Boniato prison, Santiago de Cuba, was allegedly given a severe beating in September 1992 at the punishment area known as Boniatico, with the result that he received a head wound which needed several stitches, and bruises all over his body. 192. Joel Alfonso Matos, a detainee at the Quivicán prison, was said to have been beaten on 23 October 1992 by a group of seven guards, resulting in injuries to the mouth and one eye for which he had to be admitted to the San Antonio de los Baños hospital.