E/CN.4/1991/17 page 54 Letters 166. On 6 June 1990 the Special Rapporteur addressed a letter to the Government of Sudan transmitting information alleging that over 40 people who were arrested in November and December 1989 had recently been tortured by members of the security service while detained in secret "safe houses" and interrogation centres in Khartoum. The alleged victims included trade union activists, medical doctors, lawyers and human rights activists. The cases of the following individuals, who were allegedly tortured, were transmitted to the Government: Ali al-Mahi al-Sakhi, Magdi Mohammed Suleiman, Kamal Abulgasim, Magoub al-Zubair, Hashem Babiker Tollob, Saleh Ismail, Al-Sadik Al-Shmi, Dr. Mekki Ismail, Mahmoud Mukhtar and Tarik Al-Sheikh. 167. It was further reported that several medical doctors, including Dr. Gaafer Mohammed Salih, Dr. Gamal Abdallah, Dr. Babiker Mohammed Badri, and Dr. Mohammed Al-Hassan Hamid, had been arrested and tortured in the wake of a strike called by the banned Sudanese Medical Association in November 1989. The doctors were allegedly tortured in a secret place and then transferred to Kober prison. 168. In addition to the aforementioned, the Special Rapporteur received a list of 37 members of the Sudanese Professional and Technician Trade Unions Federation who were arrested during the period mid-October 1989 to mid-January 1990, and who were allegedly tortured while in detention. Their names were reported as follows: Dr. Mamoun M. Hussein, Dr. Sayed M. Abdalla, Dr. M.A Elgadir Hilal, Dr. Hamouda Fateh Errahman, Dr. Elshiekh Kenaish, Dr. Angog Gorden, Dr. Tarig Ismail, Dr. Yahia Omer Hamza, Dr. Babiker M. Badoi, Dr. Gamal Al Rahman Sid Ahmed, Eng. Hashim Mohamed Ahmed, Eng. Ibrahim Nasreddin, Eng. Saleh Al Rahman El Nagib, Eng. El Amin Suliman Alalla, Eng. Alalla Beshir Abu Sag, Eng, Alalla El Sunni, Mr. Nasr Eddin Nur Eddaim, Mr. Al Shakh El Khidir, Mr. Al Galil M. Hassan, Mr. Tariq El Sherkh, Mr. Al Moniem M. Salih, Mr. Gasim M. Alalla, Dr. Mansour Ishag Israil, Dr. Nasri Morgos, Dr. Nasr M. Hussein, Dr. Al Rahmen El Rashid, Dr. Farouk M. Ibrahim, Dr. Kamal Al-Rashid, Eng. Abdel Kabir Adam Abdel Kabir, Dr. Ahmed Abdel Mula, Dr. Medani Ahmed Isa, Dr. Khalid Yagi, Professor Riadh Bayumi, Dr. A. Rahman El Zaki, Dr. Khalil El Dareer, Dr. El Fatih Omer El Sid and Dr. El Fatih Malik. 169. It was further reported that Dr. Ali Fadul, aged 35, member of the Sudan Doctors Union, who was arrested in March 1990, has recently died in prison, allegedly as a result of torture. Syrian Arab Republic Urgent appeals and Government replies 170. On 12 January 1990 the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Syrian Government concerning four Palestinians who were reportedly arrested by the Syrian Security Forces in Lebanon and were currently in detention in Syria. Their names were reported as follows: General Hassan Dib Khalil (also known as Abu Ta'an), arrested in the Tripoli region in 1983; Colonel Fayez Arafat, arrested in Beirut in November 1985; Lieutenant Colonel Diab Muhammad Mustafa (also known as Abu Fateh), arrested in Beirut in July 1985; and Muhammad Dawud (also known as Abu Dawud), arrested in 1985. They have