A/HRC/7/3/Add.6 page 43 Colombo and following a dispute with a prison guard he was transferred back to Bogambara Prison on 14 September 2007. He alleges that Mr. Bandara, a prison guard in Bogambara Prison, slaps and sometimes beats prisoners with a stick. He himself was beaten by him because he was wearing a Muslim cap. He expressed his wish to go back to Welikada Prison in order to be able to see his family more often, since they cannot afford the travel expenses to come to see him in Kandy. 68. S. Laffer, aged 21, Kinniya, Trincomalee. On 26 April 2007, he was arrested in Trincomalee on suspicion of theft of a gold chain and taken to China Bay Police Station, where he was interrogated by an inspector of police, a superintendant and a constable in the Crime Branch Office. Stripped to his underwear, he was forced to lie face down on the floor, and was handcuffed with his arms behind his back. He was beaten with a rubber stick of 50 cm in length on his head and on the soles of his feet in order to extract a confession. He was questioned where he obtained the chain, and threatened that he should tell the truth. Sitting on the floor and handcuffed under his knees, he was beaten on his back as well as kicked in the legs. The beatings continued for over a period of two hours. The following day, he was produced before a magistrate who upon seeing his injuries and being told of the treatment by the detainee, told the police to bring him to a hospital. At the hospital the detainee, who was handcuffed throughout the examination, received medical treatment in the presence of the police officer. The police kept the medical report. After the examination the detainee was brought to Trincomalee Prison where he stayed for one month. No allegation was made regarding ill-treatment in the prison. He later spent two weeks in Anuradhapura Prison before he was transferred to Bogambara Prison at the beginning of August 2007. He reported that in Bogambara Prison, the prison guard Mr. Rohetha (B-wing) is known for beating Tamil and Muslim prisoners with an iron bar. He himself was beaten by the officer on 5 August 2007. The beatings by Mr. Rohetha take place in the open space close to the laundry, behind the showers. Mr. Rohetha tells the prisoner to kneel down with his hands behind his back and then beats them. He has not reported the ill-treatment to the Chief Jailer because he is afraid of reprisals. 69. Mohammed Nisar, aged 26, Trincomalee. On 3 August 2007, he was arrested on Jawalay Road on suspicion of heroin possession. He was taken to Trincomalee Police Station and interrogated in the Crime Branch Office by four constables and one sergeant around 5 p.m. He was threatened that he should tell the truth about the heroin. During the questioning he struck a constable, and the police beat him. He reported that they forced him to sit with his legs outstretched on the floor, one constable held his arms, while another used a razor to cut him on his left arm and chest. He was later handcuffed behind his back and his head was forced under a table and he was beaten for 30 minutes until he fell unconscious. The next morning he was woken and forced to sign a prepared statement, and taken to the hospital for treatment. The police kept the medical report. On 7 August, he was taken to a magistrate and not given a chance to speak except to plead guilty or not guilty. The judge saw his injuries but did not say anything. Initially taken to Trincomalee Prison, where he stayed for 20 days, he was then transferred to Anuradhapura Prison, where he remained for 10 days, and then came to Bogambara Prison. He reported that he has been well-treated in the prison. On examination by the accompanying forensic doctor multiple thin linear scars, both old and healing, were present over the left arm and chest most prominently to the anterior aspect of the left forearm. The scars were mostly parallel and of generally uniform width suggesting that they had been inflicted by repeatedly running a sharp edge over the skin surface to produce shallow cut wounds. The overall pattern of injuries was strongly suggestive of self-infliction and on direct questioning the detainee stated