Report to the Government of Cyprus on the Visit to Cyprus
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CPT/Inf (2018) 16 Report to the Government of Cyprus on the visit to Cyprus carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 2 to 9 February 2017 The Government of Cyprus has requested the publication of this report and of its response. The Government’s response is set out in document CPT/Inf (2018) 17. Strasbourg, 26 April 2018 - 2 - CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 4 I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 8 A. The visit, the report and follow-up.......................................................................................... 8 B. Consultations held by the delegation and co-operation encountered .................................. 9 C. Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention......................... 9 D. National Preventive Mechanism............................................................................................ 10 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED .............................. 12 A. Police ........................................................................................................................................ 12 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................ 12 2. Ill-treatment ..................................................................................................................... 12 3. Effective investigations of ill-treatment .......................................................................... 16 4. Safeguards against ill-treatment ...................................................................................... 23 5. Conditions of detention ................................................................................................... 28 B. Foreign nationals held under aliens legislation .................................................................... 30 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................ 30 2. Menoyia Detention Centre .............................................................................................. 32 a. introduction ............................................................................................................ 32 b. ill-treatment............................................................................................................ 32 c. conditions of detention and regime ....................................................................... 33 d. staffing ................................................................................................................... 34 e. health-care services ................................................................................................ 35 f. other issues............................................................................................................. 36 3. Airport holding facilities ................................................................................................. 37 C. Nicosia Central Prisons .......................................................................................................... 39 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................ 39 2. Ill-treatment ..................................................................................................................... 40 3. Conditions of detention and regime ................................................................................ 43 a. material conditions................................................................................................. 43 b. regime .................................................................................................................... 44 - 3 - 4. Health-care services ........................................................................................................ 45 a. preliminary remarks ............................................................................................... 45 b. health-care staffing ................................................................................................ 45 c. medical screening and recording of injuries .......................................................... 46 d. medical confidentiality .......................................................................................... 47 e. mental health and drug abuse treatment ................................................................ 48 f. prevention of suicide and self-harm ...................................................................... 49 5. Other issues ..................................................................................................................... 49 a. prison staff ............................................................................................................. 49 b. discipline and isolation .......................................................................................... 50 c. foreign nationals .................................................................................................... 52 d. contact with outside world ..................................................................................... 53 e. complaints .............................................................................................................. 54 D. Psychiatric establishments ..................................................................................................... 55 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................ 55 2. Ill-treatment ..................................................................................................................... 56 3. Patients’ living conditions ............................................................................................... 57 4. Staff and treatment .......................................................................................................... 59 5. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................ 61 6. Safeguards ....................................................................................................................... 64 a. initial placement..................................................................................................... 64 b. safeguards during placement ................................................................................. 66 c. discharge from involuntary care ............................................................................ 68 7. Transfer of remand and sentenced prisoners for treatment purposes .............................. 69 E. Social care homes .................................................................................................................... 70 APPENDIX I: List of the establishments visited by the CPT’s delegation ................................................. 76 APPENDIX II: List of the national authorities and organisations met by the CPT’s delegation .............. 77 - 4 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The CPT’s 2017 periodic visit to Cyprus was the Committee's seventh visit to the country. The CPT’s delegation examined the treatment afforded to, and conditions of detention for, persons held in various places of deprivation of liberty across Cyprus. The co-operation received, from both the Cypriot authorities and the staff at the establishments visited, was generally very good. Police The CPT again received a number of credible allegations of physical ill-treatment of detained persons (including juveniles) by police officers consisting primarily of slaps, punches and kicks to the head and other parts of the body and tight handcuffing, as well as an allegation of sexual abuse of a woman. Allegations of verbal abuse, threats and intimidation were also received. From the CPT’s findings, it would seem that persons detained by the police – and particularly foreign nationals – still run a risk of being physically and/or psychologically ill-treated, notably at the moment of apprehension, during questioning and in the context of removal operations. All police officers should understand clearly that any form of ill-treatment of detained persons constitutes a criminal offence and will be prosecuted accordingly. A comprehensive inquiry should be carried out into the methods used by police investigators at Limassol and Paphos Central Police Stations. The CPT also recommends that proactive measures be taken to actively promote a culture change within the ranks of the Cypriot Police and to ensure that all methods of police investigation are lawful. To this end, practical professional training should be regularly provided and electronic recording of police interviews should be introduced. A specific focus of the visit was to examine in detail the effectiveness of investigations into allegations of ill-treatment by police officers. The CPT’s findings highlight the shortcomings of the investigations carried out by the Independent Authority for the Investigation of Allegations and Complaints against the Police (IAIACAP), which cannot be said to be effective. Improvements to the current system are urgently