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Press Release

Visit to Bulgaria by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

STRASBOURG, 12.05.99 - A delegation of the COUNCIL OF EUROPE Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has recently carried out a two-week visit to Bulgaria. The visit began on 25 April 1999 and was organised within the framework of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1999. It was the Committee's second periodic visit to Bulgaria.

The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:

- Ingrid LYCKE ELLINGSEN, 1st Vice-President of the CPT, Head of the delegation (Norwegian)

- Silvia CASALE (British)

- Christina DOCTARE (Swedish)

- Rudolf SCHMUCK (German)

- Davor STRINOVIC (Croatian).

They were assisted by three experts - James MacKEITH (Consultant Forensic Pyschiatrist, the Bethlem Royal and Maudsley Hospitals, London, United Kingdom), James McMANUS (Scottish Prisons Complaints Commissioner, Edinburgh, United Kingdom) and Derrick POUNDER (Professor of Forensic Medicine, University of Dundee, United Kingdom) - as well as by Fabrice KELLENS and Petya NESTOROVA of the CPT's Secretariat.

The delegation visited the following places:

- 4th District Police Directorate, Burgas
- 6th District Police Directorate, Plovdiv
- 3rd District Police Directorate, Sofia
- Regional Directorate of Internal Affairs, Stara Zagora
- Gladstone Street Police Station, Pleven
- Home for the temporary placement of adults, Plovdiv
- Home for the temporary placement of adults, Sofia
- Home for the temporary placement of minors, Plovdiv

- Central Investigation detention facilities, Blvd. G.M. Dimitrov, 42, Sofia
- Investigation detention facilities, Razvigor Street, 1, Sofia
- 3rd District Investigation detention facilities, Sofia
- Regional Investigation detention facilities, Burgas
- Regional Investigation detention facilities, Pleven
- Regional Investigation detention facilities, Plovdiv
- Regional Investigation detention facilities, Stara Zagora
- Investigation detention facilities "Slunchev Bryag", Nessebur

- Burgas Prison
- Stara Zagora Prison

- Lovech State Psychiatric Hospital (closed ward for the criminally irresponsible)
- Lovech Prison Hospital (psychiatric section)
- Social welfare home for male residents with mental disorders, Terter

- Hotel for unwanted passengers at Sofia Airport

In accordance with Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the CPT during its visit to Bulgaria and its consultations with the Bulgarian authorities are confidential.

The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 40 of the 41 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, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, the 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, 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. 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 any other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

Further information may be obtained from:

• the CPT's Internet Site: www.cpt.coe.int

• the Council of Europe Press Department:
  Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 25 97; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 90; e-mail pressunit@coe.fr

• the CPT’s Secretariat:
  tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 23 88; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72; e-mail cptdoc@coe.int