E/CN.4/1992/17 page 17 (a) Arturo Alvarez Várela, 52 years old, workman, living in Santa Isabel, Jacomino District, San Miguel del Padrón. He was arrested on 27 December 1990 on grounds of "breach of State security" and taken to Detention Centre No. 100 Aldavó of the Technical Investigation Department. There, he was allegedly subjected to torture, including beatings in which his nose was broken; he was also held in cells kept below zero temperatures and in one that was pitch dark. He was then transferred to the Combinado del Este prison. His relatives were allegedly threatened with imprisonment and he himself threatened with worse treatment if either he or his family revealed what had taken place during his detention; (b) Ramón de Jesús Almoa Garcia was detained in Combinado del Este. On 22 April 1991 he was allegedly badly beaten by military officers; (c) Calderón Espín, described as a "political prisoner", died on 25 April 1990 in the Amalia Simoni Hospital, in the province of Camagiiey. He reportedly died from beatings by a sergeant whose name was transmitted to the Government; (d) Daniel de Jesús Almoda Garcia, described as a "political prisoner", was allegedly taken on 23 April 1991 to the punishment cells in the "Rectángulo de la Muerte" where he was badly beaten by the staff of the Combinado del Este prison (their nicknames were transmitted to the Government). 55. The Special Rapporteur also transmitted to the Government information received about an incident in which criminals under ordinary law occupied the Nieves Morejón de Sancti Spiritu prison for several hours in protest against the ill-treatment and the hunger of the prison population when food rations were reduced by 50 per cent. It was said that in the attack by the security forces to regain control over the prison several persons died and many were injured. It was also said that, on 16 May 1991, over 100 prisoners showing signs of having been beaten up were confined with their hands and feet tied in cells in the Manacas prison because they took part in the Nieves Morejón prison uprising. 56. In a note verbale dated 23 October 1991 the Government transmitted the following information regarding these cases: (a) Mr. Arturo Alvarez Várela was detained and tried for various economic offences. He was tried by due process of law and it has been ascertained that at no time was he subjected to any improper treatment by the authorities or officials of the Technical Investigation Department; (b) Mr. Calderón Espin (Miguel) is currently at the Camagiiey prison centre serving a sentence for robbery. Because the information provided is not accurate, it is not certain whether that is the person in question nor can any further investigation be made; (c) As to Mr. Ramón de Jesús Almoa García and Mr. Daniel de Jesús Almoda García, prison checks reveal no record of anyone corresponding to the general description being imprisoned either in the past or at present.