MORONI, June 27 (Reuters) - A Comorian reporter arrested while researching possible human rights abuses on a rebellious island said on Wednesday he was beaten by soldiers for hours.
Elarif Minihadji was detained on Sunday by forces loyal to the newly inaugurated president of Anjouan, who was elected in polls held in defiance of Comoros' national government.
Minihadji, a radio journalist and member of a local human rights group, was in Anjouan to cover the political crisis.
"I was punched and whipped on my back with a belt for more than two hours by five soldiers," he told Reuters, displaying bruises on his back a day after his release.
He said he had been arrested and held at a military camp for promoting human rights and explaining electoral law to voters.
"The soldiers were shouting such things as 'law and rights are not for us,', 'go defend democracy and liberty somewhere else,' and 'leave Anjouan for the Anjouanis'," he said.
He and two students suspected of organising protests against the island's leader, Mohamed Bacar, were also forced at gunpoint to beat each other with belts, he said.
Anjouan officials were not immediately available to comment.
Comoros' national government has threatened to use force to topple Bacar, and has urged the African Union to allow some 300 AU troops already in the archipelago to intervene militarily.
Comoros' three main islands, whose combined population is about 670,000, retain autonomy via local presidencies and share a rotating national presidency. The Indian Ocean archipelago has suffered 19 coups or attempted coups since independence from France in 1975.
