E/CN.4/2001/66/Add.1 page 9 25. On 14 May, the Special Rapporteur visited the provisional detention ward at the Narimanov Police Department where 15 persons were detained in 13 cells. The head of the ward indicated to the Special Rapporteur that all detainees were always transferred to a remand centre at the end of the three-day period. The investigators were therefore not requesting prosecutors to prolong the initial period of detention in the provisional detention ward under his authority. This seemed to be confirmed by the various registry books shown to the Special Rapporteur. 26. At Narimanov provisional detention ward, the Special Rapporteur interviewed a detainee who had been offered a lawyer at the time of his first interrogation. The lawyer was present during all the subsequent interrogation sessions. Nevertheless, it was clear that this person, like several others met during the mission in various detention places, did not understand the role and functions of a lawyer. The head of the ward recognized and regretted that State-appointed lawyers were not very active. He was therefore not surprised by the detainee’s lack of understanding. 27. Finally, the Special Rapporteur visited the Baku City head police receiver/distributor in Binagadi on 12 May. This centre holds, for up to 30 days, persons whose identity could not be determined in police stations during the three-hour identification period. After 30 days, if no arrest warrant is issued, the person shall be released. Thirty-one persons, mainly homeless people, were held at the time of the Special Rapporteur’s visit. According to the head of the Binagadi Receiver/Distributor, persons held there were not formally detained. The prosecutor’s office was nevertheless said to be informed that they were there. 28. The cells visited by the Special Rapporteur were basic, dirty and had a bad odour. There was no natural light or proper ventilation system. A small hole in the door was the only source of ventilation. The head of the Binagadi Receiver/Distributor told the Special Rapporteur that there was a very efficient ventilation system during the summer. Persons were sleeping on wooden planks. Some had a blanket. 29. Most, if not all detainees the Special Rapporteur met in the remand institutions were clearly afraid of speaking to him about the treatment they had received in police stations and provisional detention wards. A considerable number of them said that they had been threatened and that they had been misinformed about their rights. Women in particular said that they had recovered their dignity only after having been transferred to a remand institution. All were said to have a lot to say, but, as one detainee recognized, none was brave enough to testify. Fear of being returned to the police was often expressed. The General Prosecutor recognized that the use of threats by the police may be a widespread problem inherited from the previous regime. 2. Individual cases 30. Regarding police ill-treatment, the Special Rapporteur received information on the following individual cases. 31. Elshad Goysseynov, a Ph.D. candidate in economics, is said to have been threatened and ill-treated on several occasions for having received confidential information on foreign intelligence as a result of his academic research. On the last occasion, on 5 April 2000, he was reportedly severely beaten by seven unknown assailants near his residence. He is said to have