cause serious physical or psychological suffering, but which humiliate or force the individual against his will or conscience." 35 125.The Complainants submit that the arbitrary detention of the Victim was characterized by gross and inhuman acts of cruelty and torture, including; the binding and stretching of his testicles, wherein the Victim's testicles were tied with plastic string and attached to a car and he was told to 'pull the car' with beatings administered if he refused; prolonged application of extreme heat, including the 'ironing' of his back, wherein ghee and a shirt was applied to the Victims' back and his back was 'ironed' causing extreme pain and internal bleeding; and prolonged hanging by his wrists from the ceiling of his cell, during which time beatings were administered. ·. 126.According to the Complainants, the Victim was further subjected to elech·ocution; dousing with free~ing water; repeated beatings with batons, electrical wires, wooden bars, sticks and military boots; squeezing of his eyes; starvation; the refusal of me~ical attention; death threats made while guns were shoved intohis mouth; guns fired while held next to his ears; confinement to a small room with the rotting cadavers of other tortured detainees, including one occasion. where he was forced to eat his food out of the mouth of a dead detainee, with threats of a similar fate if he did not cooperate; prolonged periods of isolation; sensory deprivation; and humiliation. 127. The Complainants further submit that the Victim was held incommunicado for over 23 months, during which period he was denied contact with a legal representative and with his family members. The incommunicado detention of the Victim was particularly acute given its prolonged duration. The Complainants state that the Commission has recognized that prolonged incommunicado detention in itself may give rise to a violation of Article 5 of the African Charter36 . 128. According to the Complainants, for nine (9) months of the Victim's detention, he was fed only three times a week; refused access to toilet and bathing faciHties and was often deprived of clothing other than shorts or underwear. Furthermore, the Complainants state that throughout the Victim's detention he did not know the reasons for, or the duration of his detention. This caused him severe psychological suffering, amounting to inhumane or degrading treatment. The Complainants argue that the