E/CN.4/1992/17 page 50 149. On 9 April 1991» the Special Rapporteur sent an urgent appeal to the Government of Mauritania transmitting information concerning the following individuals: Lt. Almami Chouaibou Diagana, Adjutant Moussa Gueye, Adama N'Diaye, Lt. Cheikhna Tandia and Lt. Siguino Traore. These individuals, together with other members of the Hal-Pulaar ethnic community, both civilian and military, are allegedly being held without trial in military barracks at Nouakchott and Nouadhibou, under very harsh conditions and without access to medical care. Conditions of detention at the J'reida Barracks, near Nouakchott, are said to be particularly harsh. Adjutant Moussa Gueye is said to be suffering from broken ribs following torture and to be in serious condition. Other prisoners in these barracks, including Lt. Chouaibou Diagana, were allegedly severely tortured. According to the source, 30 detainees died under torture in the J'Reida Barracks from November 1990 to January 1991. In view of these considerations, fears have been expressed that the physical and psychological integrity of the above-mentioned persons and of other persons being held in military barracks in the regions of Nouakchott and Nouadhibou might be in danger. Letters 150. On 6 August 1991 the Special Rapporteur sent a letter to the Government of Mauritania transmitting information according to which approximately 200 political prisoners arrested at the end of 1990 died as a result of torture, ill-treatment and deplorable conditions of detention. The prisoners are said to have been tortured in military prisons and police stations. Many of them were subjected to the "Jaguar" method, which consists in hanging the victim upside down and beating the soles of his feet. Others were allegedly burned all over the body or subjected to electric shocks on the genitals. According to former detainees, some prisoners have been left with scars on their bodies or faces. In the northern part of the country, torture is said to have caused the death of 60 soldiers in the Aleg and Akjoujt prisons. The prisoners were allegedly buried alive. Mexico Letters and Government replies 151. On 18 December 1990, in reply to the Special Rapporteur's letter of 6 June 1990 (E/CN.4/1991/17, paras. 110 and 111) on complaints of torture and ill-treatment of Zócimo Centeno Hernández, Wilebaldo Centeno, Gonzalo Ibarra and Quintil Quintero, the Government of Mexico sent him the recommendation made by the Mexican National Human Rights Commission in the criminal cases involving these persons. In the case of Zócimo Centeno Hernández, the Commission noted that he had not been given the opportunity to be defended by a lawyer and that the fact that he confessed to committing the offences of which he was accused might be due to the physical and psychological torture to which he had been subjected. However, the Special Rapporteur has received no information to the effect that the competent authorities followed up the Commission's recommendation by an exhaustive investigation into the events for the purpose of determining the guilty parties. In the other three cases mentioned, the Commission makes no recommendation in particular concerning the torture and ill-treatment to which these persons were allegedly subjected.