A/HRC/42/CRP.1 obligations under both international human rights law and international humanitarian law. Enforced disappearance may also amount to torture. These acts may lead to individual criminal responsibility for war crimes. (d) Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and acts of torture in detention “I was suspended for 13 days and handcuffed with wires, blindfolded. It caused my body to swell completely. When they stopped hanging me, I could not move for three weeks. They threatened me many times with arresting my wife and children. They used to leave me for days without food and threaten to kill me. I have been suffering from incontinence due to fear. As a result of anxiety, I went through periods when I could not sleep” Former youth activist detained in a secret place in Sana’a 415. The Group received allegations of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment taking place in detention places under the supervision of the de facto authorities in Sana’a i.e. the General Directorate of the Criminal Investigation, the Political Security detention centre, the National Security detention centre, Central Sana’a prison, AlThawra prison, and Habrah prison, as well as in their secret detention places and some police stations.639 This cruel treatment happened during and outside of interrogation sessions. A large variety of physical and psychological ill-treatment and torture methods were reported, including continued suspension for days and nights, beating with sticks, kicking, restrictions on access to the toilet, deprivation of natural light for long periods of time, sleep deprivation, death threats,640 electrocution, burning, and forced nudity. 416. The use of solitary confinement, including in cells with no light, for extended periods of time, up to seven months in one case, was reported in different detention centres in Sana’a, particularly in the Political Security detention centre. In one case, a male detainee was kept in solitary confinement for two months because he refused to repeat the “Sarkha” (the Houthi slogan).641 Another witness recalled, “during the first three months, my relative642 was isolated in a one metre by one metre room. He would use the room for everything. In the three following months, a crazy person was put with him in the same cell. Imagine sitting in a one square metre room with a crazy person.” In some cases, torture and ill-treatment continued while detainees were in solitary confinement. 417. Acts of torture were used during interrogation sessions in order to force detainees to sign and fingerprint documents, even blindfolded, where they would “confess” their alleged responsibility. A former detained staff member recalled, “I was suspended while interrogated and handcuffed and blindfolded. I didn’t know the identity of the persons who were interrogating me as I was always blindfolded. I fingerprinted documents while I was blindfolded.”643 He continues to suffer from the effects of torture on his hands, legs, kidney and liver. Two former detainees described to the Group the fear that being blindfolded instilled in them, feeling someone was standing behind them while they spoke, and not knowing whether a blow would come their way when suddenly the voice behind them uttered “wrong answer”.644 “They would hang me this time fully naked from a hook on the wall, and twice on two separate occasions they tied a water bottle to my testicles and filled it with water. This was even more painful than being electrocuted 645” Male survivor of torture in Sana’a 639 Confidential Sources on File. Confidential Sources on File. 641 Confidential Sources on File. 642 Confidential Sources on File. 643 Confidential Sources on File. 644 Confidential Sources on File. 645 Confidential Sources on File. 640 102