E/CN.A/1990/17 page 1 I. INTRODUCTION 1. At itB forty-first session, the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution 1985/33, by which it decided to appoint a special rapporteur to examine questions relevant to torture. 2. On 12 May 1985, the Chairman of the Commission appointed Mr. Peter Kooijmans (Netherlands) Special Rapporteur, who, in pursuance of Commission resolutions 1986/50, 1987/29 and 1988/32, submitted reports (E/CN.4/1986/15, E/CN.4/1987/13 and E/CN.4/1988/17 and Add.l) to the Commission at its forty-second, forty-third and forty-forth sessions respectively. 3. At its forty-forth session, the Commission adopted resolution 1988/32, by which it decided to continue the mandate of the Special Rapporteur for two years, in order to enable him to submit further conclusions and recommendations to the Commission at it6 forty-fifth and forty-sixth sessions. The Economic and Social Council endorsed that resolution by decision 1988/130. 4. At its forty-fifth session, the Commission had before it the fourth report of the Special Rapporteur (E/CN.4/1989/15) and adopted resolution 1989/33 by which, after recalling its resolution 1988/32 of 8 March 1988, it decided that the Special Rapporteur, in carrying out his mandate, should continue to seek and receive credible and reliable information from Governments, as well as specialized agencies, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. 5. In conformity with Commission resolutions 1988/32 and 1989/33 the Special Rapporteur hereby presents his fifth report to the Commission. Chapter II of the report deals with a certain number of aspects pertaining to the Special Rapporteur's mandate and method of work. Chapter III consists of the correspondence between the Special Rapporteur and Governments of States with regard to which detailed information alleging the practice of torture has been received. This chapter describes, in a summarized form, communications from the Special Rapporteur to Governments, including both urgent appeals and letters, and Governments' replies thereto. Chapter IV consists of reports on the visits by the Special Rapporteur to Guatemala and Honduras, as well as the follow-up of his visits in 1988 to Peru, the Republic of Korea and Turkey. Chapter V contains conclusions and recommendations.