E/CN.4/1992/17 page 21 there had been cases of torture in Ecuador in 1989 and 1990. Most of the prisoners alleged to have been subjected to torture or ill-treatment were persons suspected of offences under ordinary law, but complaints were also received about cases of torture and ill-treatment in which the victims were members of the armed forces. Most of the reports claim that the Criminal Investigation Department of the Province of Pichincha was responsible. Some regional police and local INTERPOL (the international branch of the police) units were also reported as being involved. Information has also been submitted to the effect that the administration of the prisons in Quito had complained to the Government about the physical condition of some of the prisoners after they had been questioned by the police. The methods of torture included being beaten and kicked while hung up by the wrists or thumbs; beatings on the soles of the feet, covering the head with bags containing tear-gas and causing near-suffocation; and applying electric shocks to sensitive parts of the body. In some cases, persons held by the police allegedly died as a result of torture, specifically the following: (a) Selfido lives Camacho, arrested on 7 May 1989 in Caluma, province of Bolivar, by persons in civilian clothing (members of a group for the prevention of cattle theft) and one police officer, and taken to the Rural Police Detachment of the police in town; (b) Gonzalo Quintero Mina, arrested in July 1989 in Nueva Loja, province of Sucumbios, by members of the National Police and taken to the police barracks in town; (c) Segundo Chimbay Zhinin, arrested on 30 August 1989 in Cuenca, province of Azuay, and taken first to criminal investigation headquarters in Azuay and subsequently to the headquarters in Azogues. 68. Information was also transmitted to the Government about the following cases of persons allegedly tortured after being arrested on the dates shown in brackets after their names: Cesario Chaguay Vargas (4 October 1989); Carlos Alberto Juela Molina (21 December 1989); Saulo Cuesta (24 February 1989); Mariana Ayora (14 October 1989); Marta Pérez (14 October 1989); Héctor Mejía (19 June 1989); Segundo Cajilama Chávez (19 June 1989); Segundo Criollo Chávez (19 June 1989); Nicolás Paguay Cuvi (19 June 1989); Carlos Chicaiza Naranjo (19 June 1989); Segundo Yanacallo Guarnan (19 June 1989); Gerardo Tascón (28 June 1989); Manuel Mesías Maiques (28 February 1989); Juan Francisco Roca Ospina (7 March 1989); Leonor Estupiñán (15 June 1989); Liliana Ortiz de Estupiñán (15 June 1989); Dora Lilia Coral (15 June 1989); Jeanette Estupiñán (15 June 1989); Claudia Ruiz Morales (15 June 1989). 69. The following cases relate to members of the armed forces who were allegedly subjected to torture: (a) Marco Antonio Espín López, 26 years of age, member of the Transmisiones Batallón of Rumiñahui, Quito. Accused of smoking marijuana. On 20 February 1990, after denying the charge, he was reportedly taken to the Atahualpa Military Fort and tortured, and electric shocks were even applied to his genital organs and other parts of his body;