CPT/Inf (98) 13 Report to the Polish Government on the visit to Poland carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 30 June to 12 July 1996 The Polish Government has requested the publication of this visit report and of its interim and follow-up reports in response. The responses of the Polish Government are set out in document CPT/Inf (98) 14. Strasbourg, 24 September 1998 - 2 - CONTENTS Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT'S report..................................................................................5 Preface ..................................................................................................................................................6 I. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................8 A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation ..............................................................8 B. Establishments visited...............................................................................................................9 C. Consultations held by the delegation.....................................................................................10 D. Co-operation encountered during the visit...........................................................................10 E. Immediate observation under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention.........................11 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ..............................11 A. Police and Border Guard establishments .............................................................................12 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................12 2. Torture and other forms of physical ill-treatment ...........................................................12 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................17 a. general remarks ......................................................................................................17 b. detention facilities for criminal suspects................................................................17 c. police establishments for children..........................................................................18 d. detention facilities for foreigners awaiting deportation .........................................20 e. Border Guard detention facilities at Warsaw International Airport.......................21 4. Safeguards against the ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty........................22 a. notification of apprehension...................................................................................22 b. access to a lawyer...................................................................................................23 c. access to a doctor ...................................................................................................24 d. information on rights..............................................................................................25 e. conduct of interrogations........................................................................................25 f. custody records.......................................................................................................26 g. persons detained under the Aliens' legislation .......................................................26 - 3 - B. Prison establishments .............................................................................................................27 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................27 2. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment..........................................................................28 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................28 a. general remarks ......................................................................................................29 b. Warszawa-Białołęka Remand Prison.....................................................................30 i. material conditions .......................................................................................30 ii. programme of activities ................................................................................31 c. Grudziądz Prison No 1 ...........................................................................................33 i. material conditions .......................................................................................33 ii. programme of activities ................................................................................35 iii. special facilities for sentenced women undergoing "therapeutical and educational treatment" .................................................................................36 d. Strzelce Opolskie Prison No 2 ...............................................................................37 i. material conditions .......................................................................................37 ii. programme of activities ................................................................................39 iii. the "S" unit....................................................................................................40 4. Medical issues..................................................................................................................41 a. medical services in the prisons visited ...................................................................41 i. staff and facilities..........................................................................................41 ii. medical screening on admission...................................................................43 iii. issues related to transmissible diseases........................................................43 b. Psychiatric Hospital at Wrocław Remand Prison ..................................................45 5. Other issues......................................................................................................................46 a. prison staff..............................................................................................................46 b. discipline and isolation...........................................................................................47 c. complaints and inspection procedures ...................................................................49 d. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................50 e. transport of prisoners..............................................................................................51 - 4 - C. Juvenile establishments ..........................................................................................................51 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................52 2. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment..........................................................................52 3. Special detention facilities...............................................................................................53 4. Material conditions ..........................................................................................................55 5. Programme of activities...................................................................................................56 6. Medical issues..................................................................................................................57 D. Military arrest facilities ..........................................................................................................59 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................59 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................59 3. Material conditions of detention......................................................................................59 a. Bydgoszcz Garrison Command..............................................................................59 b. Toruń Garrison Command .....................................................................................60 4. Regime.............................................................................................................................60 5. Medical care ....................................................................................................................60 6. Appeal and inspection procedures...................................................................................60 E. Sobering-up centres ................................................................................................................61 1. Introduction .....................................................................................................................61 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................61 3. Material conditions and staffing arrangements ...............................................................62 4. Procedures followed ........................................................................................................63