E/CN.4/1991/17 page 39 Letters 125. On 10 August 1990 the Special Rapporteur addressed a letter to the Government of Myanmar informing it of a recent report to which his attention has been drawn, alleging that torture continued to be widespread in the country. Most of the victims were said to be political activists opposed to the Government, mainly in ethnic minority regions where armed opposition groups where active. It was alleged by former detainees that torture was often practised during interrogation, and was meant both as a means of punishment and as a means to extract information or confessions. The security agency said to be responsible for most of the cases of torture during interrogation was the Directorate of Defence Services Intelligence-DDSI, which is the military intelligence agency, also known as MIS or MI. Other State security forces that allegedly resorted to torture or ill-treatment of detainees were the People's Defence Forces and the People's Police Force, in particular two of its branches: the Criminal Investigation Department - CID, and the Special Investigation Department - SID. It was alleged that torture and ill-treatment usually occurred soon after detention, while the detainees were held incommunicado for interrogation purposes. Methods of torture alleged to be practised included beatings, sometimes to the point of unconsciousness, while detainees were often blindfolded or hooded; application of electric shocks to sensitive parts of the body; walking on the knees on sharp gravel; squatting for prolonged periods; rolling of iron or bamboo rods, or bottles, along the shinbones until the skin scrapes off; prolonged standing in water; prolonged exposure to sun or to intense cold; burnings with cigarettes; near drowning through immersion in water; hanging by the feet and having salt, salted water, urine and curry powder applied to open wounds. Methods of ill-treatment included deprivation of sleep, food, water and washing facilities. Psychological torture methods included threats of execution and several forms of pressure. The following detailed cases were reported: (a) Zaw Min t a physician aged 30, detained on 13 July 1989 at his home in Insein by a group of soldiers and MIS personnel and taken to Ye Kyi Aing detention centre, north of Yangon. According to a former detainee in that centre Zaw Min was, when he last saw him, emaciated and had marks of blows on his body; (b) Myo Myint, aged 26, a former soldier who had lost his right arm and right leg after he stepped on a mine in 1987. He was reportedly arrested on 8 July 1989 at his home in Thauk-Kyant, north of Yangon and put in the custody of the MIS, for suspected communist affiliation. Despite his serious war injuries he was allegedly badly tortured; (c) U Soe Myint. aged 50, leader of an opposition group, arrested in mid-May 1989 by MIS personnel in Moulmeingyun. According to a person who saw him in Bassein prison he had been severely tortured. Letters 126. On 6 June 1990 the Special Rapporteur addressed a letter to the Government of Nepal transmitting information alleging that in 1989 the practices of arbitrary arrest without warrants and detention without formal