E/CN.4/1992/17 page 55 (a) Abdeljalil Yakouti was arrested for being obviously inebriated in public and used his shirt to hang himself at police headquarters in Onerzazate, as established by the forensic surgeon. A preliminary investigation has been initiated by the examining magistrate in Onerzazate; (b) Abderrahim Ben Khalifa. This person is Benkhalifa Abderrahim Ben Hdia, a 32-year-old Moroccan, born in Donar Jbara, Skhour Rharnna. On 25 August 1989, Laaroussi M'Bark (Mokadem) and Astif Hammad (Cheikh) had an argument over a debt with Benkhalifa Abderrahim Ben Hdia, and they beat him up. He was taken to Marrakesh Hospital, where he died from his injuries. The autopsy revealed that death had been due to a cerebral haemorrhage caused by the blows he had received. The two representatives of the public authorities who were prosecuted were sentenced to prison terms of 15 and 5 years respectively by the court at Marrakesh; (c) Larbi Charrat was arrested by the Royal Gendarmerie in Dar Bel Amri for disturbing the peace. According to the autopsy conducted by the forensic surgeon, the Chief Physician at the rural hospital at Sidi Slimane, cause of death was asphyxiation by hanging. A second autopsy conducted by Dr. Boukili Hassan of the Rabat Health Department also reached the conclusion that death had been due to hanging. A preliminary investigation was begun before the examining magistrate at Kenitra. 159. The Government also sent the Special Rapporteur a note on the current situation in Moroccan prisons, describing the efforts made by the prison administration to improve conditions in custody. Thus it was stated that: "As part of their functions under the law, the Ministries of Justice and the Interior periodically circulate to their departments instructions aimed at ensuring respect for, and enforcement of, the law. Abuse of authority and acts which deliberately infringe the law (unlawful violence or ill-treatment of persons during interrogations) render the perpetrators liable to disciplinary sanctions and also criminal proceedings before the competent courts, in implementation of article 231 of the Penal Code, which lays down punishment for voluntary acts of violence, in particular by members of the forces of law and order. The penalties issued for abuse of authority or professional misconduct against representatives of the public authorities and officers and members of both the National Sûreté and the Royal Gendarmerie show that the authorities are far from acquiescent towards situations in which the rights of individuals are violated. The judicial authorities do not hesitate to act severely against persons responsible for practices that infringe the law." 160. On 23 August 1991 the Government informed the Special Rapporteur, in reply to his letter of 28 April 1988 (see E/CN.4/1989/15, para. 64) that prisoners Mechrouhi Dahbi and Hamdani Najib had been released. 161. On 6 August 1991 the Special Rapporteur addressed to the Moroccan Government a letter transmitting information according to which cases of torture and ill-treatment still occur. Various methods of torture are allegedly practised, in particular the falaqa method, consisting of beatings