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Report to the Latvian Government on the Visit to Latvia Carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

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Report to the Latvian Government on the Visit to Latvia Carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture CPT/Inf (2013) 20 Report to the Latvian Government on the visit to Latvia carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 5 to 15 September 2011 The Latvian Government has requested the publication of this report and of its responses. The Government’s responses are set out in document CPT/Inf (2013) 21. Strasbourg, 27 August 2013 - 2 - CONTENTS 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 and co-operation encountered...................................7 D. Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention .........................8 E. Monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty........................................................................8 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ................................9 A. Police establishments ................................................................................................................9 1. Preliminary remarks ..........................................................................................................9 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................10 3. Safeguards against the ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty........................12 4. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................14 B. Border Guard Accommodation Centre for Detained Aliens in Daugavpils......................17 C. Prisons ......................................................................................................................................19 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................19 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................21 3. Conditions of detention of the general prison population ...............................................23 a. material conditions .................................................................................................24 b. regime.....................................................................................................................27 4. Conditions of detention of life-sentenced prisoners ........................................................28 5. Health-care services.........................................................................................................32 6. Other issues......................................................................................................................37 a. prison staff..............................................................................................................37 b. discipline ................................................................................................................37 c. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................40 d. complaints and inspection procedures ...................................................................41 e. investigation divisions............................................................................................42 - 3 - D. Psychiatric establishments .....................................................................................................43 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................43 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................44 3. Living conditions.............................................................................................................45 4. Staff and treatment...........................................................................................................46 5. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................49 6. Safeguards .......................................................................................................................51 E. Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Welfare ........................................56 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................56 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................57 3. Living conditions.............................................................................................................58 4. Staff resources and care of residents ...............................................................................59 5. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................61 6. Safeguards .......................................................................................................................62 APPENDIX I: List of the CPT’s recommendations, comments and requests for information ................64 APPENDIX II: List of the national authorities, non-governmental organisations and persons with whom the CPT’s delegation held consultations ...........................................................82 - 4 - Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT’s report Ms Aiga Liepina Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Permanent Representative of Latvia to the Council of Europe 67, allée de la Robertsau 67000 Strasbourg Strasbourg, 28 March 2012 Dear Ambassador, In pursuance of Article 10, paragraph 1, of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, I enclose herewith the report to the Latvian Government drawn up by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) following its visit to Latvia from 5 to 15 September 2011. The report was adopted by the CPT at its 77th meeting, held from 5 to 9 March 2012. The recommendations, comments and requests for information formulated by the CPT are listed in Appendix I. As regards more particularly the CPT’s recommendations, having regard to Article 10 of the Convention, the Committee requests the Latvian authorities to provide within six months a response giving a full account of action taken to implement them. The CPT trusts that it will also be possible for the Latvian authorities to provide, in that response, reactions to the comments formulated in this report as well as replies to the requests for information made. In respect of the recommendations contained in paragraphs 76, 77 and 87 of the report, the CPT requests the Latvian authorities to provide a response within three months. The CPT would ask, in the event of the response being forwarded in Latvian, that it 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. Yours sincerely, Lətif Hüseynov President of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment - 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 (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”), a delegation of the CPT carried out a periodic visit to Latvia from 5 to 15 September 2011. It was the Committee’s sixth visit to Latvia.1 2. The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT: - Lətif HÜSEYNOV (President of the CPT and Head of delegation) - Mario FELICE - Pétur HAUKSSON - Marzena KSEL - Sonja KURTÉN-VARTIO - George TUGUSHI - Branka ZOBEC HRASTAR. They were supported by Borys WÓDZ (Head of Division), Elvin ALIYEV, Petr HNÁTÍK and Almut SCHRÖDER of the CPT’s Secretariat, and assisted by the following interpreters: - Inguna BEKERE - Viktors FREIBERGS - Ilze NORVELE - Ligita PUDŽA - Ieva VIZULE. 1 The CPT has previously carried out three periodic visits (January/February 1999, September/October 2002, November/December 2007) and two ad hoc visits (May 2004, December 2009) to Latvia. The reports on these visits and the responses of the Latvian authorities are available on the CPT’s website (http://www.cpt.coe.int/en/states/lva.htm). - 6 - B. Establishments visited 3. The CPT’s delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty: Police establishments - Daugavpils Police Station - Dobele Police Station - Jēkabpils Police Station - Jelgava Police Station - Latgales District Municipal Police Station, Rīga - Liepāja Police Station - Liepāja Municipal Police Station - Saldus Police Station - Talsi Police Station - Valmiera Police Station - Ventspils Police Station Border Guard establishments - Border Guard Accommodation
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