translate English to French: It is, however, clear that the ill-treatment complained of at that time would have amounted to inhuman and maybe also cruel treatment, had the allegations been substantiated.
Mais il est clair que les mauvais traitements dont il se plaignait à l'époque auraient constitué des traitements inhumains, et peut-être aussi cruels, si ses allégations avaient été étayées.