SELMOUNI v. FRANCE JUDGMENT 9 When I refused, that officer urinated over me at the suggestion of one of his colleagues. After that, I was taken to an office and threatened with burns if I did not talk. When I refused, they lit two blowlamps which were connected to two small blue gas-bottles. They made me sit down and placed the blowlamps about one metre away from my feet, on which I no longer had shoes. At the same time they were hitting me. Following that ill-treatment, they brandished a syringe, threatening to inject me with it. When I saw that, I ripped open my shirt-sleeve, saying ‘Go on, you won’t dare’; as I had predicted, they did not carry out their threat. My reaction prompted a fresh outburst of violence from the policemen and I was ill-treated again. The police officers left me in peace for about fifteen minutes, then one of them said ‘You Arabs enjoy being screwed’. They took hold of me, made me undress and one of them inserted a small black truncheon into my anus. NB. When Mr Selmouni relates that scene, he starts crying. I am aware that what I have just told you is serious, but it is the whole truth, I really did suffer that ill-treatment. After the sexual assault, I was put into a cell again. The next day I was examined by a doctor, who was able to observe my condition. I had informed the doctor that the policemen had been assaulting me and I had even asked him to tell them to stop torturing me. The violence I have just described was committed during the nights of 25 to 26 and 26 to 27 November 1991. Thereafter, until I was brought before the investigating judge, I was occasionally punched. Before bringing me before the investigating judge, the policemen were very kind, even going so far as to offer me coffee. When I signed the papers concerning my belongings, I noticed that 2,800 guilders and a Dupont lighter had disappeared. I informed a policeman about this – the one I thought was in charge – who replied ‘Shit, again’, and the matter was left at that. The lighter bears the initials A.Z. I can identify the six policemen who hit me. I can also describe the part played by each one.