A/HRC/13/42* page 33 perpetuations.95 States of emergency gave more powers to the military and provided room for discretion in the repressive measures against terrorism. In Uruguay, a state of emergency was declared in 1968 and extended until the end of the dictatorial period in 1985. In Paraguay, the state of siege lasted for 35 years, although the Constitution stipulated that it could only be declared for limited periods and subject to exceptional circumstances.96 In most of these countries, the practice of secret detention was compounded by derogations from or modifications of national constitutions, while in others they were subordinated to the regulations of military Governments. 70. Many Governments in regions other than Latin America have also resorted to secret detention in the context of counter-terrorism-related activities. Although on numerous occasions terrorism as such was not invoked as the basis of detention, accusations such as disruption of public order, involvement in a coup d’état or allegedly unlawful activities of the opposition, were recurrently used by Governments. 2. Secret detention in Africa 71. In the 1990s, allegations of more than 200 secret detention centres in Kinshasa were brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur on torture. These were allegedly run by the police or the armed forces of the Zaire.97 In its concluding observations on the country in 2006, the Committee against Torture took note of the outlawing of unlawful places of detention beyond the control of the Public Prosecutor’s Office, such as prison cells run by the security services and the Special Presidential Security Group, where persons had been subjected to torture.98 72. In 1994, serious concerns were expressed by the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances regarding increasing patterns of disappearances of suspected opponents of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia, in particular regarding allegations of detainees being held in secret interrogation or detention centres in Addis Ababa and other locations.99 A number of people detained in Hararge province on suspicion of supporting the 95 E/CN.4/Sub.2/1997/19, para. 127. 96 Ibid., para 148. 97 E/CN.4/1996/35, para. 195. 98 CAT/C/DRC/CO/1, para. 7. 99 E/CN.4/1995/36.