Report to the Government of Greece
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CPT/Inf (2006) 41 Report to the Government of Greece on the visit to Greece carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 27 August to 9 September 2005 The Government of Greece has requested the publication of this report and of its response. The Government's response is set out in document CPT/Inf (2006) 42. Strasbourg, 20 December 2006 - 2 - CONTENTS COPY OF THE LETTER TRANSMITTING THE CPT’S REPORT .........................................5 I. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................6 A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation ..............................................................6 B. Establishments visited...............................................................................................................7 C. Consultations held by the delegation.......................................................................................8 D. Cooperation between the CPT and the Greek authorities ....................................................8 E. Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention .........................9 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ..............................10 A. Law enforcement agencies......................................................................................................10 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................10 2. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment..........................................................................11 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................16 a. introduction ............................................................................................................16 b. situation in establishments visited..........................................................................16 i. police headquarters and stations..................................................................16 ii. border guard police stations.........................................................................18 iii. holding facilities for aliens ...........................................................................19 iv. holding areas at Athens International airport..............................................19 c. assessment ..............................................................................................................20 d. Petro Rali special holding facility ..........................................................................21 4. Safeguards against the ill-treatment of detained persons ................................................23 a. introduction ............................................................................................................23 b. notification of custody............................................................................................23 c. access to a lawyer...................................................................................................24 d. access to a doctor ...................................................................................................24 e. information on rights..............................................................................................25 f. custody records.......................................................................................................25 5. Establishments under the Ministry of Merchant Marine .................................................27 - 3 - 6. Special Holding Facilities for Aliens...............................................................................28 a. introduction ............................................................................................................28 b. ill-treatment ............................................................................................................29 c. material conditions .................................................................................................32 d. health care ..............................................................................................................34 e. regime.....................................................................................................................35 f. safeguards...............................................................................................................35 g. staff.........................................................................................................................36 B. Prisons ......................................................................................................................................37 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................37 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................39 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................41 a. material conditions .................................................................................................41 b. regime.....................................................................................................................44 c. assessment ..............................................................................................................45 4. Health care services .........................................................................................................46 a. introduction ............................................................................................................47 b. health care in the prisons visited ............................................................................47 i. resources and access to health care .............................................................47 ii. medical screening on admission...................................................................49 iii. medical files and confidentiality...................................................................50 iv. issues related to transmissible diseases........................................................50 v. health care policy regarding drug abuse......................................................51 c. Korydallos Prison Hospital ....................................................................................52 d. Korydallos Prison Psychiatric Hospital .................................................................52 5. Other issues related to the CPT’s mandate......................................................................54 a. prison staff..............................................................................................................54 b. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................55 c. segregation .............................................................................................................56 d. inspection procedures.............................................................................................57 e. transfer of prisoners................................................................................................58 - 4 - C. Psychiatric establishments: Corfu Psychiatric Hospital .....................................................59 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................59 2. Living conditions and treatment ......................................................................................60 3. Staff .................................................................................................................................61 4. Restraints .........................................................................................................................62 5. Safeguards relating to involuntary hospitalisation and discharge ...................................63 6. Other issues related to the mandate of the CPT...............................................................64 APPENDIX I: LIST OF THE CPT'S RECOMMENDATIONS, COMMENTS AND REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION .....................................................................................65 APPENDIX II: LIST OF THE NATIONAL AUTHORITIES AND ORGANISATIONS WITH WHICH THE CPT'S DELEGATION HELD CONSULTATIONS......................77 - 5 - Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT’s report Strasbourg, 22 March 2006 Dear Mr Ayfantis, 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 Government of Greece drawn up by the European Committee for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) following its visit to Greece from 27 August to 9 September 2005. The report was adopted by the CPT at its 59th meeting, held from 6 to 10 March 2006. The various 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 Greek authorities to provide within six months a response giving a full