CCPR/C/115/D/2214/2012 lifted the author by the throat and then attached a clamp to his tongue. The author was also raped in his cell by three guards. The interrogations were conducted by two unidentified ANR agents in the presence of Mr. K.M., Senior Director of Internal Security, and other agents. A young guard took a photograph of the author, saying it was standard practice. 2 2.11 On 15 December 2008, the author was taken to a room located on the floor set aside for administrative offices for three and a half hours of questioning; it was during the questioning that an ANR legal officer finally informed him of the accusations made against him. The following day, he was questioned in his cell for four hours in the presence of the other prisoner. This interrogation was extremely violent, as the seven agents present were especially angry because of the public outcry over his detention. 2.12 On the evening of 17 December 2008, three agents entered his cell and told the other prisoner to get undressed. When the author objected, they threatened to tear out his tongue with a pair of pliers. After raping the young woman, they pushed the author to the ground and raped him. This was clearly intended to humiliate and break the author so that he would finally give in and tell them the information he had. Following the rape, the pain in his abdomen worsened seriously and left him writhing in pain on the ground. On 18 December, the pain in his abdomen worsened further and the author heard an agent say to another that it would be better to seek some care for him since they still had not obtained the information they were looking for. The author was taken to the medical centre in Bandal. During the night, the author was able to contact a friend and, thanks to help from the medical staff, who were themselves later subjected to threats, he was able to escape. He headed to the border with the Republic of the Congo, and from there reached Brazzaville on 19 December 2008. ANR then issued a public statement claiming that the author had been set free. 2.13 In early 2009, the author was targeted by a media smear campaign launched by Banque Congolaise. The campaign has tarnished his reputation by spreading a series of lies about the author ’s activities while at the bank. 2.14 The author travelled to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, for which he held a visa, and was granted refugee status there on 2 October 2009. His wife and three daughters were issued visas on 22 September 2010 and arrived in the United Kingdom on 5 October 2010. 2.15 After the author’s escape, his family and friends were placed under close surveillance and subjected to acts of intimidation. As a result, the author and his family have very limited contact with their friends in the Democratic Republic of the Congo out of fear that the latter will be targeted by reprisals. 2.16 With regard to exhausting all domestic remedies, on 17 December 2008, the author’s brother filed a complaint with the Attorney General of the Republic against ANR for abduction and arbitrary detention. The complaint stated that the author h ad been arrested by ANR agents, that he had not been brought before a judge after his arrest and that, as he was not allowed to receive any visits from his family, his family was worried about his health and how he was being treated by ANR. The complaint made reference to provisions of the Criminal Code and to relevant international conventions. 3 On 23 December 2008, the author ’s brother withdrew the complaint in __________________ 2 3 GE.15-22873 The photograph was published by Congo Indépendant in an article entitled “L’Ofida sous la coupe d’une maffia euro-congolo-libanaise” [Congo Customs and Excise Office under thumb of European-Congolese-Lebanese mafia], 18 June 2009 [a copy of the article is included in the author’s file]. The date stamp showing receipt of the complaint is 18 December 2008 (a copy of the complaint is included in the author ’s file). 5/17