Information transmitted to the Government
344. By letter dated 18 November 1993 the Special Rapporteur brought to the attention of the Government the case of Ali-Akbar Ghorbani (alias Mansour Amini), a political refugee in France, who was abducted in Turkey, reportedly by agents of the Iranian Government, on 4 June 1992. His body was found in an Istanbul suburb on 29 June 1992. According to reports received, he had been severely tortured before being killed; parts of his body had been cut into pieces, he had been castrated, his finger nails had been pulled out and he had been strangled with an electrical cord.
345. The Special Rapporteur also informed the Government that he had received reports according to which torture of prisoners held for political reasons, in order to obtain information or to extract confessions remain common throughout the country. Methods include beating the prisoner with a thick cable, electric shocks, mock executions (by hanging) and burning with cigarettes. The Special Rapporteur also expressed concern about the use of corporal punishment, such as amputation and flogging, which seem to be widespread in the country.
346. By the same letter the Special Rapporteur reminded the Government of a number of cases transmitted in 1992 regarding which no reply had been received.
Urgent appeals
347. The Special Rapporteur addressed an urgent appeal to the Government on 15 November 1993 regarding Ghobad Veysi, Ali Soleimani, Jalal Mohammad-Rezaie, Abbas Feyzi and Moussa Maleki, alleged members of an illegal Kurdish political organization known as "Komala". According to the reports, they were arrested by members of the Iranian Armed Forces near Sanandaj around 21 October 1993 and were believed to be held incommunicado in this city. Fears had been expressed that they might be subjected to torture.