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STRASBOURG, 21.06.2001 - The Austrian Government has requested the publication of the report of the COUNCIL OF EUROPE’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on the visit to Austria in September 1999 and of its response. The visit was carried out from 19 to 30 September 1999 within the framework of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1999; it was the Committee’s third periodic visit to Austria.
Under Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the Committee in relation to a visit, its report and its consultations with the State concerned are confidential. However, the State may decide to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention.
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During this third visit, the CPT's delegation held consultations with Mr Nikolaus Michalek, Federal Minister of Justice, Mr Karl Schlögl, Federal Minister for the Interior and Mrs Eleonore Hostasch, Federal Minister for Labour, Health and Social Affairs. The delegation also met Mr Gerhart Holzinger, President of the Human Rights Advisory Council. Further, it had a meeting with the Ombudsman, Mr Horst Schender.
The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:
Police and Gendarmerie establishments
Graz and surrounding area
Graz Police Jail
Police station at Graz Railway Station
Gendarmerie Stations in Rehnitz, Oberpullendorf and Oberwart
Leoben
Police Jail
Vienna
Security Bureau of the 2nd Division of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Federal Directorate of the Vienna Police
Neubau Police Station, Kandelgasse (7th District)
Favoriten Police Station, Van-der-Nüll-Gasse (10th District)
Brigittenau Police Station, Pappenheimgasse (20th District)
Police Jails at Rossauer Lände and Hernalser Gürtel
Transit zone and special transit zone, Wien-Schwechat Airport
Prisons
Göllersdorf Prison
Schwarzau Prison
Wien-Josefstadt Prison, Vienna
Psychiatric establishments
Vienna Psychiatric Hospital (in particular Pavilion 23 for persons placed in the context of criminal proceedings), Baumgartner Höhe
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The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 41 of the 43 member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom.
The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, police and prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc. The Committee’s task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority and to interview those persons in private. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
The CPT organises periodic visits as well as other visits which appear to it be required in the circumstances.
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The CPT's report on its visit to Austria in 1999 (83 pages) and the response of the Austrian Government (53 pages) can be obtained from:
- the CPT’s Internet Site:
www.cpt.coe.int- the Council of Europe Press Department:
- the CPT’s Secretariat: tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 39 39; fax: +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72; E-mail
cptdoc@coe.intA 6 page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.
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