E/CN.4/1997/7 page 9 even more the amount of space given to the already abbreviated summaries of allegations and of government responses, because of the further page limitation now imposed on the addendum. III. INFORMATION REVIEWED BY THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR WITH RESPECT TO VARIOUS COUNTRIES 18. During the period under review, the Special Rapporteur sent 68 letters to 61 Governments containing some 669 cases (about 67 known to be women and about 55 known to be minors) or incidents of alleged torture. He also transmitted 130 urgent appeals to 45 countries on behalf of some 490 individuals (at least 50 known to be women and 10 known to be minors), as well as several groups of persons with regard to whom fears that they might be subjected to torture had been expressed. Together with individual cases the Special Rapporteur also transmitted to Governments allegations of a more general nature regarding torture practices, whenever these allegations were brought to his attention. In addition, 42 countries provided the Special Rapporteur with replies on some 459 cases submitted during the current year, whereas 24 did so with respect to some 363 cases submitted in previous years. 19. This chapter contains, on a country-by-country basis, summaries of the general allegations transmitted by letter to Governments and the latters' replies, as well as a numerical breakdown of the individual cases and urgent appeals transmitted by the Special Rapporteur and the replies received from Governments. Information about follow-up action to reports and recommendations made after previous years' visits to countries are also included. Finally, observations by the Special Rapporteur have also been included where applicable. Algeria Observations 20. At the end of the year, the Special Rapporteur received substantial information concerning the use of torture in the context of detention and enforced disappearances sometimes followed by death. Although there was neither the time nor the resources to process the information with a view to transmitting it to the Government, the Special Rapporteur felt that it justified his drawing the concerns of the Committee against Torture to the attention of the Commission. In particular, the Committee expressed concern about the resurgence since 1991 of torture, which had practically disappeared between 1989 and 1991 as well as the possibility of extending garde à vue detention up to 12 days and of ordering administrative detention without any judicial authority. Like the Committee, the Special Rapporteur is aware of the appalling level of violence in the country, including atrocities, sometimes involving torture, perpetrated by armed opposition groups. He urges the Government nevertheless to give urgent and favourable consideration to the Committee’s recommendations. Albania 21. The Special Rapporteur transmitted to the Government one urgent appeal on behalf of members of opposition political parties.