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Press Release

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture:

Publication of the report on the visit to Belgium in 1997

STRASBOURG, 18.06.98 - The Belgian Government has decided to make public the report of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on its visit to Belgium in 1997. The Federal Government has also issued a statement on the report, drawn up together with the relevant authorities of the Communities and Regions of Belgium.

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 concerned may decide to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention.

The CPT's visit to Belgium was carried out from 31 August to 12 September 1997, in the context of the Committee's programme of periodic visits for 1997. It was the second periodic visit of the CPT to Belgium (the first having taken place in 1993). The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:

Police establishments

• Communal Police Stations, Lange Nieuwstraat and Noordlaan, Antwerp
• Communal Police Headquarters, rue du Collège, Ixelles
• Police Headquarters, rue Natalis, Liège (^*)
• Communal Police Stations, rue des Palais and place Colignon, Schaerbeek
• Communal Police Station, rue de l'Athénée, Tournai

Gendarmerie establishments

• Gendarmerie Brigade, Korte Vlierstraat, Antwerp
• Gendarmerie Brigade (*) and the Surveillance and Research Brigade, rue de la Croix de Fer, Brussels
• Gendarmerie Services at the "Palais de Justice", Brussels
• Gendarmerie Brigade, rue du Rossignol, Mons
• Gendarmerie Brigade, rue de la Citadelle, Tournai
• Gendarmerie Brigade, Wilrijk
• Security Unit (*) and Repatriation Service of the Gendarmerie at Brussels-National Airport, Zaventem

Holding centres for aliens

• Centre for Illegal Aliens, Merksplas
• Repatriation Centre 127 "bis", Steenokkerzeel
• "INADS" Centre at Brussels-National Airport, Zaventem
• Transit Centre 127 at Brussels-National Airport, Zaventem

Prisons

• Merksplas Prison
• Mons Prison
• Lantin Prison (*)
• St-Gilles Prison (*)

Social Defence establishments

• Paifve Social Defence Establishment
• Tournai Social Defence Establishment

^(*)Establishments first visited by the CPT during its periodic visit in 1993.

The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. To date, 39 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, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the Russian Federation (as from 1 September 1998), 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, doctors, 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. It 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 any other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

The CPT's report on its visit to Belgium (111 pages) can be obtained from:

• The Council of Europe Press Department:
  Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 25 97; fax (0)3 88 41 27 90; e-mail pressunit@coe.fr
• The Committee for the Prevention of Torture's Secretariat:
  tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 23 88; fax (0)3 88 41 27 72); e-mail cptdoc@coe.int
• The CPT's Internet site: www.cpt.coe.int

A seven page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.

The statement issued by the Belgian Government on the CPT's report can be obtained from the abovementioned departments, and from:

• The Ministry of Justice, General Directorate of Criminal Law and Human Rights, Waterloo Boulevard, 115 - 1000 Bruxelles
  tel. + 32(0)2 542 7122; fax (0) 2 542 7009

A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe promotes democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 40 member states.