Report to the German Government on the Visit to Germany Carried out By
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
CPT/Inf (97) 9 [Part 1] Report to the German Government on the visit to Germany carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 14 to 26 April 1996 The German authorities have agreed to the publication of the CPT's report on its visit to Germany, together with the interim report of the German Government in response. Strasbourg, 17 July 1997 - 2 - TABLE OF CONTENTS Page COPY OF THE LETTER TRANSMITTING THE CPT'S REPORT .........................................4 I. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................5 A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation ..............................................................5 B. Establishments visited...............................................................................................................6 C. Consultations held by the delegation.......................................................................................6 D. Co-operation encountered during the visit.............................................................................7 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ................................8 A. Police establishments ................................................................................................................8 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................8 2. Torture and other forms of physical ill-treatment .............................................................8 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................10 a. introduction ............................................................................................................10 b. situation in the establishments visited....................................................................10 4. Safeguards against ill-treatment ......................................................................................12 a. information to a close relative or other third party / access to a lawyer ................13 b. access to a doctor ...................................................................................................15 c. information on rights..............................................................................................16 d. conduct of interrogations........................................................................................16 e. custody registers.....................................................................................................16 f. foreign detainees ....................................................................................................17 B. Detention of foreigners ...........................................................................................................18 1. Köpenick Detention Centre for Foreigners .....................................................................18 a. general comments...................................................................................................18 b. ill-treatment ............................................................................................................18 c. conditions of detention...........................................................................................20 d. security measures ...................................................................................................21 e. medical care ...........................................................................................................22 f. relations between staff and detainees.....................................................................24 g. administrative detention committee .......................................................................26 2. Bützow Prison..................................................................................................................26 - 3 - C. Prisons ......................................................................................................................................28 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................28 2. Torture and other forms of physical ill-treatment ...........................................................28 3. Follow-up visits ...............................................................................................................30 a. Moabit Prison .........................................................................................................30 b. Tegel Prison ...........................................................................................................32 c. Assessment of progress since the CPT's first periodic visit and proposals for further action .............................................................................33 4. Establishments visited for the first time ..........................................................................35 a. Bützow Prison ........................................................................................................35 - introductory remarks...........................................................................35 - material conditions..............................................................................35 - activities ..............................................................................................36 b. Hamburg Remand Prison and Central Prison Hospital..........................................38 5. Health-care services.........................................................................................................41 a. medical care ...........................................................................................................41 b. the role of prison health care services in the prevention of ill-treatment...............44 6. Other issues related to the CPT's mandate.......................................................................45 a. prison staff-inmate relations...................................................................................45 b. solitary confinement...............................................................................................45 c. discipline ................................................................................................................50 d. instruments of restraint...........................................................................................51 e. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................52 III. RECAPITULATION AND CONCLUSIONS ......................................................................55 A. Police establishments ..............................................................................................................55 B. Detention of foreigners ...........................................................................................................56 C. Prisons ......................................................................................................................................57 D. Action on the CPT's recommendations, comments and requests for information ...........60 APPENDIX I : SUMMARY OF THE CPT'S RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION .......................................................61 APPENDIX II : LIST OF THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES, NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATIONS AND OTHER PERSONS WITH WHOM THE DELEGATION HELD CONSULTATIONS .....72 - 4 - Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT's report Strasbourg, 8 October 1996 Dear Sir, In pursuance of Article 10, paragraph 1, of the European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, I have the honour to enclose herewith the report to the Government of Germany drawn up by the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) after its visit to Germany from 14 to 26 April 1996. The report was adopted by the CPT at its 30th meeting held from 9 to 13 September 1996. I would drawn your attention in particular to paragraph 196 of the report, in which the Committee requests the German authorities to provide an interim and a follow-up report on action taken upon its report. The CPT would ask, in the event of the latter reports being forwarded in German, that they be accompanied by an English or French translation. I am at your entire disposal if you have any questions concerning either the CPT's report or the future procedure. Finally, I would be grateful if you could acknowledge receipt of this letter. Yours sincerely, Claude NICOLAY President of the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Ministerialdirigent Dr. Jens MEYER-LADEWIG Federal Ministry of Justice IV M Heinemannstrasse 6 Postfach 200365 D - 5300 BONN 2 - 5 - I. INTRODUCTION A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation 1. In pursuance of Article 7 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereafter referred to as "the Convention"), a delegation of the CPT carried out a visit to Germany from 14 to 26 April 1996. The visit formed part of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1996, and was the second periodic visit to Germany to be carried out by the Committee