E/CN.4/1992/17 page 71 (c) Louis Sadio, aged 75, and Lamine Ladio, aged 70, as well as other people from the village of Kartiak, in the subdivision of Tendouck, in the Department of Bignona, were allegedly arrested by members of the army and the police force on 13 July 1990 and they were whipped and pounded with blows from rifle butts; (d) Atome Manel Diatta, aged 55, and Viviane Sagna, as well as 7 other women from the district of Colobane, in the Department of Oussouye, arrested in July 1990 by army personnel searching for members of the MFDC. The women were apparently transferred to the police station known as "Rue de Thiong", in Dakar, where they were deprived of food and water for a week. Singapore Letters 201. On 18 October 1991 the Special Rapporteur addressed a letter to the Government of Singapore transmitting information concerning the practice of caning, a form of punishment which is allegedly mandatory for a number of crimes, including attempted murder, armed robbery, rape, drug trafficking, vandalism and illegal immigration. In particular, the case of Qwek Kee Chong was reported. In 1987 he was convicted on four charges of armed robbery and sentenced to 10 years1 imprisonment; he was also ordered to be given 12 strokes of the cane on each of the four charges. On 8 April 1988, he was given 48 strokes of the cane, all in one continuous session at Changi prison. According to family members, Qwek had to be hospitalized at the Changi prison hospital after the caning. South Africa Urgent appeals and Government replies 202. On 25 February 1991 the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Government of South Africa concerning Thamsanga Jack, aged 35, who was arrested on 6 February 1991 at the East London Airport as he returned to the country after several years' absence. It was reported that he was being held in an undisclosed place of detention, under section 29 of the Internal Security Act of 1982 which permits the police to hold a person incommunicado indefinitely and in solitary confinement, for the purposes of interrogation. In view of past reports that persons detained under the terms of section 29 had been subjected to torture or ill-treatment, and that two persons have died while being held under that provision, fears were expressed that Mr. Jack might be in danger of being tortured while in custody. 203. On 12 June 1991 the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Government of South Africa concerning Friedrich W. Brenner, an Austrian citizen, who was detained at the central male prison in Pretoria, serving a 25-year prison sentence after being convicted of murder in 1987. Mr. Brenner had reportedly been shot on 21 June 1986, during the incident which led to his trial and conviction, and, according to the source, his state of health was deteriorating; in particular, it was reported that his left lung was not functioning, his left arm was numb and his eyesight was severely