E/CN.4/2001/66/Add.2 page 11 25. On the second floor, in the archive room, the Special Rapporteur found a number of iron bars, some with plastic handles, as well as a large machete. Again, it was explained that these items had been confiscated from detainees (despite the fact that they were not labelled) or were used to check the cells’ bars. 26. On 27 August, the Special Rapporteur visited DEPATRI police headquarters (Departamento de Investigações sobre Crimes Patrimoniais), which is composed of several investigative units, but which has only one common lock-up. Two thousand police officers are said to be attached to DEPATRI. Its lock-up is divided into four sections, of which only one was still in use, the others having allegedly been destroyed during revolts. The section still in use is composed of four cells measuring approximately 20 square metres and holding at that time 178 persons while the official capacity was said to be 15 persons per cell. As there is no yard, detainees were held in their cells 24 hours a day. The only natural light came from a window at the end of the corridor along which the cells were located. There were 12 beds. The detainees therefore were forced to sleep on the bare concrete floor or in shifts. A shower from which ran filthy water constantly, as well as a hole used as a toilet, were separated from the main part of the cell by a plastic sheet put up by the detainees themselves. Numerous bullet holes, consistent with allegations that police had fired above detainees’ heads to either threaten them or maintain order, especially after alleged revolts or attempted escapes, were visible on the walls of the cells and of the corridor. The quality of the food appeared to the Special Rapporteur to be poor. Only visits by female relatives were said to be authorized, according to the authorities for security reasons. According to information later received by the Special Rapporteur, the authorities decided to close down the DEPATRI lock-up in mid-January 2001. 27. On 27 August, the Special Rapporteur visited at night the 2nd district police station where detainees were said to be taken before being brought to court. It consisted of a long corridor 1.5 metres wide and 40 metres long around an open square. As it was raining, the corridor was literally packed with people, many of them half dressed, since they had allegedly been ordered to strip. The delegada in charge said that there were 188 detainees, but that sometimes there were more than 220. The air in the corridor was suffocating. Rubbish was lying on the floor and in the courtyard and the four toilets, consisting of holes blocked by excrement, were open to the corridor. The Special Rapporteur could not fail to notice the nauseating smell. According to information received before his visit, the station was cleaned once a week and was allegedly cleaned the day before the visit. The walls were covered with bullet holes. According to information received, shots were fired from time to time by guards to frighten detainees. Detainees said that it was therefore too dangerous to enter the yard, where the only water tap was located. The delegada confirmed that detainees were forbidden to enter the yard as she believed there was too great a risk that detainees would escape by the semi-open roof by forming a human pyramid. Authorities indicated that detainees were transferred to this police station in order for them to be closer to the court. 28. It is the belief of the Special Rapporteur that detainees waiting to appear in court in such subhuman conditions could only look to the judge to be unwholesome and dangerous. A large number of detainees expressed their shame at being seen in such a dirty and foul-smelling state when they were brought to court. They did not understand why they had to be brought to the station before being taken to court, instead of being taken directly from their respective police