2.3 Among the tortures allegedly inflicted on her brother, the author mentions: - placing of plastic bags over his head, so as to provoke a sensation of suffocation. This allegedly was repeated some 20 times; - constant beatings, not administered too hard so as not to leave visible marks; - injection of an unknown substance by means of a syringe; - putting him into a straightjacket, followed by suspending him by his hair. 2.4 Henri Parot’s family has been able to witness the physical results of the torture on him - loss of hair, loss of weight, permanent exhaustion - and the psychological sequelae, manifested by a state of profound depression. Furthermore, he is said to suffer from periodic bouts of amnesia, in particular in respect of the first five days of his detention. 2.5 On 7 April 1990, Mr. Parot was brought before the examining magistrate of the Juzgado Central de Instrucción No. 4 of the Audiencia Nacional of Madrid. At the conclusion of his statement before the judge, he complained of torture he had suffered at the hands of the Guardia Civil. During the hearing he was assisted by a lawyer who had been retained by his family. 2.6 On 10 April 1990, Mr. Parot was transferred to the prison of Herrera de la Mancha. On 11 April, he was again brought before the Audiencia Nacional of Madrid to testify before a French magistrate to whom he also complained about the ill treatment. 2.7 As to prison conditions, it is claimed that during his detention at the Carabanchal prison in Madrid from 7 to 10 April 1990, the prison guards prevented him from sleeping by refusing to switch off the light in his cell or by continuously banging against his cell door. At the prison of Herrera de la Mancha, he was kept incommunicado most of the time. The prison doctor made him sign a statement certifying that he had not suffered any form of torture or ill treatment. For 20 days, Mr. Parot was kept in a cell close to the office of the Guardia Civil, whose occupants sought to scare him by firing shots outside his cell and by threatening to kill him or members of his family. On 17 April, when taking a shower, he was allegedly severely beaten by a group of masked men, said to be members of the Guardia Civil. On 8 June 1990, Mr. Parot was transferred to the prison of Alcala-Meco in Madrid, so as to facilitate the hearings before the examining magistrate of the Audiencia Nacional. 2.8 By letter of 10 May 1993, Mr. Parot confirms that he wishes the Committee against Torture to examine his allegations of torture and ill treatment was presented in the communication prepared by his sister. 2.9 In a further submission, dated 20 August 1993, the author provides precise information about the complaints of torture and ill treatment made by or on behalf of Mr. Parot. This includes a complaint made by the author during the hearing before the investigating magistrate of the Juzgado Central de Instruccion No. 4 of the Audiencia Nacional in April 1990, and 25 complaints made during the trial before the Audiencia Nacional, the first on 4 December 1990 and the last complaint on 4 June 1993. She states that her brother received a visit on 28 May 1991, at the prison of Alcala-Meco, by an -62-