E/CN.4/1993/26 page 125 detainees are held together with prisoners who have been sentenced for periods up to six months. The Special Rapporteur was informed, however, that prison conditions in the regional prison, which is at some distance from Prishtina, are far more harsh. 557. The Special Rapporteur heard testimonies about an alleged case of severe maltreatment which had been brought to his attention shortly before the mission. The file, which included medical data, was also consulted. On the basis of the available material the Special Rapporteur and the medical expert who accompanied him came to the conclusion that it was improbable that the alleged maltreatment had occurred. 558. The situation in Kosovo is highly volatile and demands the closest possible attention from the international community. B. Follow-up to visits 559. During the forty-eighth session of the Commission, the Observer for Guatemala gave the Special Rapporteur a memorandum from his Government containing information about measures taken by the authorities to improve the human rights situation. This memorandum was a reaction to the Special Rapporteur's letter of 21 October 1991 by which he had requested the Government to inform him about any measures which might have been taken in pursuance of the recommendations made in his report on the visit to Guatemala. 560. The memorandum contained, inter alia, the following information. 561. On 2 May 1991 a civilian took over as Minister of the Interior assuring civilian control of the country's police forces and providing a major impetus to the protection, dissemination and development of human rights. A civilian was also appointed director general of the national police. 562. Various educational projects have been initiated with a view to involving government sectors in ensuring respect for and observance of the inherent rights of the human person. 563. The Ad Hoc Committee for Aid to Refugees is being restructured. Vice President of the Republic will become a member. The 564. On 12 July 1991 a governmental decision was published in the Diario Oficial establishing a Presidential Commission for Coordinating Executive Policy in the field of Human Rights. Its principal functions are coordination of executive action to protect and safeguard human rights, the development of policy in this area to be carried out by the executive and collaboration with the attorney general for human rights. 565. A Peace Fund has been established, to be used exclusively to finance programmes in aid of persons affected by the internal armed conflict.