E/CN.4/1993/26 page 124 III. A. VISITS AND FOLLOW-UP TO VISITS Visit to the former Yugoslavia 551. As mentioned in chapter I, the Special Rapporteur took part in the second mission of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the former Yugoslavia, Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki, from 12 to 22 October 1992. During the mission the Republics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia were visited. The report on that visit is contained in document A/47/666. 552. It is no surprise that in the war-stricken areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina torture is a daily phenomenon. During an armed conflict human life as such is held in low esteem and under such conditions basic human rights violations such as arbitrary detention, torture, deliberate killings and disappearances usually go hand in hand. Disrespect for human rights seems to have reached its apex, however, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The delegation received horrendous information about people being clubbed to death and others who died from injuries suffered during torture, in particular in detention camps in the Serbian-controlled areas. Rape of women belonging to other ethnic groups was alleged to be practised systematically. 553. Information about torture was also received with regard to the Croat- and Muslim-controlled areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina, although on a smaller scale and to a less systematic degree. It was alleged that Croatian police or military sometimes seriously mistreat detainees of Serbian descent. 554. Of particular concern is the situation in Kosovo, which forms part of the Republic of Serbia. In 1990 the previously autonomous status of this province was abolished and the Serbian Government took over the administration. Since that time the participation of Albanians, who constitute about 90 per cent of the province's population, in public, economic and social life has become practically become non-existent. Since that time the Special Rapporteur has regularly received communications about torture and serious mistreatment of Albanians. Such mistreatment is not only practised during detention. Mention was made of punitive expeditions by large police forces against towns and villages to search for arms. During these expeditions, the people are beaten and otherwise mistreated. 555. The Special Rapporteur himself interviewed on 18 October 1992 25 victims of extreme police brutality. On 12 and 13 October demonstrations had been held in various towns in Kosovo to obtain the reopening of the schools which had been closed for the greater part of the last two years. It was said that the authorities had been given due notice about these planned demonstrations in conformity with the law and that no prohibition order had been issued. Nevertheless, the police brutally attacked the crowds which had gathered with truncheons and tear-gas without giving the usual order to disperse. The Special Rapporteur received a list, containing 321 names, who were severely beaten. All the people who were interviewed by him were seriously injured and severely bruised. 556. The Special Rapporteur also visited the municipal prison in Prishtina, the capital of Kosovo, which he had also visited on an earlier occasion and where prison conditions seemed to be satisfactory. In this prison pre-trial