E/CN.4/1992/17 page 78 this source, persons held at the Ministry of the Interior in Tunis have complained of torture, beatings, electrical shocks and the method known as the "roast chicken". 230. On 16 December 1991, in regard to this case, the Government said that Mr. Ajmi Lourimi was arrested on 25 April 1991 and brought before the military court on 4 May 1991; he himself denied the rumours of ill-treatment before members of the Tunisian League of Human Rights who visited him on 18 July 1991. 231. On 2 November 1991 the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Government of Tunisia transmitting information alleging that Jamal Barakat was arrested by the police early in October 1991 and is still being held without charge. He was arrested in order to make his brother, Faisal Barakat, aged 25, who was wanted by police, give himself up. According to the information received, Faisal Barakat was arrested between 8 and 10 October 1991 and he was held incommunicado in police custody. Around 17 October 1991, his family was notified by the Tunisian authorities that he had died as a result of an accident. Given the many recent reports of torture of prisoners in police custody, fears had been expressed that Mr. Faisal Barakat's death could have been the result of torture. Furthermore, fears had been expressed that Mr. Jamal Barakat might be tortured. 232. On 16 December 1991 the Government informed the Special Rapporteur in respect of this case that Mr. Jamal Barakat was not being detained, that he was not being prosecuted and that he was unknown to the security services. Regarding Mr. Faisal Barakat, a judicial inquiry was started by the Grombalia Prosecutor's Office which revealed that he had never been arrested and that he died after a traffic accident as he was walking along the Grabi road (in the Menzel Bouzelfa area). He was taken to the Nabeul hospital after the accident and died as a result of his injuries. An autopsy was carried out by order of the courts by two doctors from the university hospital of Nabeul and their report states that the body of the victim showed no trace of degrading or inhuman treatment. Letters and Government replies 233. On 14 February 1991 the Special Rapporteur sent a letter to the Tunisian Government transmitting information concerning the measures which the Government is reported to have taken since President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali took office in November 1987. Those measures were designed to protect the rights of detainees and covered, inter alia, limitation of the period of police custody and ratification of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. However, the Special Rapporteur continues to receive reports of many cases of torture and ill-treatment which have taken place during the last three years all over the country. Virtually all the cases reported occurred while persons were being held in police custody and were not allowed access to their lawyers or their families. Most of the prisoners allegedly subjected to torture or ill-treatment were members of unofficial political groups such as the Hizb al-Nahda, or Renaissance Party, the Tunisian Workers' Communist Party (PCOT) or the People's United Party (PUP). The methods of torture most frequently mentioned were the following: the "roast chicken" - hanging with the arms bound behind the knees by ropes and an iron bar and being beaten with