A/HRC/13/42* page 153 Annex II In August 2009, the experts corresponded with 19 countries across all geographic regions of the world with a request to conduct an official visit to the countries concerned in order to conduct private interviews with persons believed to have been formerly held in secret detention. As one of the essential objectives of the joint study is to better understand - and ultimately redress - the plight of the victims, the experts wanted to engage directly with relevant sources. The experts wish to thank the Government of Germany and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for extending an invitation to visit. Visits to these two States were undertaken between September and November 2009 for the purpose of conducting interviews. The experts were unfortunately unable to visit other States due to the fact that invitations were either not extended or they were advised that a visit for such a purpose could not be arranged by the concerned State. In an effort to get direct information from persons who reportedly had been secretly detained, the experts did conduct a number of interviews by telephone and/or interviewed legal counsel or family members as some of these persons are still in detention or hospitalized and unable to communicate directly. In total, the experts conducted 30 interviews with individuals from various nationalities and regions around the world. This Annex contains 24 case summaries of interviews conducted. Six interviews were excluded as they were determined either not to be within the scope of this study or the information provided was not sufficiently detailed and precise to be included. CASE SUMMARIES Case 1 - Biographic details Name of interviewee Mr. Abdeljalil Al-Hattar* Nationality/country of origin Yemen Gender Male Detention Date of initial detention 14 December 2007 Location of initial detention Arrested at a mosque in Sana’a district, Yemen. Grounds of initial detention Told during interrogation that he had been arrested on suspicion of having harboured a wanted person. The authority(ies) involved in the detention Yemeni Political Security Officers Total period of detention 14 months (14 December 2007 to February 2009) Duration of secret detention Approximately the first 2 months (14 December 2007 to February 2008) Site(s) of detention, including sites of possible transit Initially detained at a mosque in Sana’a district, Yemen, and then subsequently taken to the Political Security Unit’s premises in Sana’a district, Yemen, where he was detained for a further 1 year and 2 months. Conditions and treatment Interrogated during the first seven days of detention. No physical coercion was used. No