More recently, however, Amnesty International has received reports which suggest widespread abuse of human rights, including torture and deliberate and arbitrary killings by forces fighting on the government side, including Senegalese troops, and beatings of prisoners held by the rebel soldiers. According to these reports, threats have been made against the lives of critics or suspected opponents of the government. The rebels are reportedly holding over 200 civilian detainees and subjecting them to severe beatings. Refugees have told Amnesty International that they have seen bodies or heard about people who have been deliberately killed by unknown assailants. Some were apparently killed for looting, some may have been suspected of supporting the opposing side in the conflict and others were possibly killed in personal vendettas.
Several people are reportedly in hiding, fearing possible arrest by the government forces.
They include members of a parliamentary commission of inquiry into allegations of arms trafficking across Guinea-Bissau's northern border to separatist rebels in the Casamance area of Senegal. The inquiry is said to have found evidence that senior government officials were involved. There is also fear for the safety of others who have criticized the government, including journalists and human rights activists. Most of those arrested have been reportedly tortured. Among those civilians held in custody by the government are Ezequiel Ferreira, a communications engineer, who was arrested on 15 June 1998 on suspicion of passing information to the rebels.