E/CN.4/2001/66/Add.2 page 68 17. Arlindo Antonio Barros, a detainee at Lemos Brito Prison in Salvador, reportedly suffered from a hernia in his genital area. According to the information received, he underwent three medical examinations which concluded that he needed surgery. It was reported that he had his operation scheduled for 16 November 1997 at Manoel Vitorino Hospital. According to the information received, the police officers in charge of transporting him to the hospital did not want to wait ten minutes for the doctor’s arrival and took him back to the prison. He is said to be still suffering from the same problem. 18. José Carlos de Oliveira, an 18-year-old farm worker, was reportedly arrested in February 1999 in Irecê allegedly accused of having stolen a motorcycle. According to the information received, we was taken to the local police station where he was reportedly subjected to the technique referred to as the “parrot’s perch” and had his fingernails removed. He reportedly had a broom handle introduced into his anus and his buttocks burned with a melted plastic bag. He allegedly had his ribs and collarbone broken and bruises all over his body due to the beatings. Three days after his arrest he was reportedly taken to Irecê Regional Hospital and later transferred to Roberto Santos Hospital in Salvador, where it is believed he remained for one week. State of Ceará 19. Francisco Assis de Sousa Campos, aged 18, and his father, José Haroldo Fernandes Campos, were reportedly approached by some police officers on 9 December 1999 inside a bus between Natal and Fortaleza. Francisco Assis de Sousa Campos is reported to have been considered suspicious because he was sleeping with his right arm connected to an intravenous serum tube to treat his chronic kidney disease. He was reportedly slapped in the face and beaten by a police officer for 20 minutes. He is said to have been taken to the back of the bus where a police officer searched him. José Haraldo Fernandes Campos is reported to have been beaten by another police officer, who reportedly punched him in his testicles. Both of them were allegedly forced to get out of the bus. Francisco Assis de Sousa Campos reportedly already had a wound on his left leg which broke open because of the beatings. It is believed that they were both threatened by the policemen with a shotgun aimed at José Haroldo Fernandes Campos. It is reported that a few days later they lodged a complaint with a public prosecutor and identified photos of one of the police officers. On 17 December 1999 both men reportedly underwent an official medical examination. 20. Alexander Costa e Silva, a trader, was reportedly beaten to death by policemen on duty at the local prison of Aracati on 27 January 2000. According to the information received, a medical report carried out just before his death confirmed the torture allegations. 21. Marcos Studart and Valdir Gomes Soares, a photographer and a driver for the newspaper O Povo, respectively, were reportedly attacked and beaten by the mayor of Hidrolândia and two of his employees on 22 February 2000 when they allegedly visited the municipality in order to investigate accusations of corruption. They are said to have had cuts, scratches and bruises all over their bodies and to have been sent for medical care. According to the information received, the case was made public in the media and referred to the State General Attorney.