News Flash
Visit by the CPT to France
[26.06.02] - A delegation of the Council of Europe Committee for the
Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)
recently carried out a five-day visit to France. The visit began on 17 June
2002. It was the Committee's sixth visit to France.
The main purpose of the visit was to examine the treatment of aliens refused
entry into France and those requesting asylum while held at Paris - Charles de
Gaulle Airport. The delegation reviewed the measures taken by the French
authorities to implement the CPT's recommendations in this field since its last
visit in 2000. Further, for the first time, the delegation visited holding
facilities used by the Customs Service at the airport.
The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:
· Ole
Vedel RASMUSSEN (Head of the delegation) (Danish)
· Antoni
ALEIX CAMP (Andorran)
· Ioanna
BABASSIKA (Greek)
They were assisted by two members of the CPT's Secretariat, Geneviève MAYER
(Deputy Executive Secretary) and Cyrille ORIZET.
During the visit, the delegation met Nicolas SARKOZY, Minister of the
Interior, Internal Security and Local Freedoms, as well as senior officials from
the Ministry of the Interior, Internal Security and Local Freedoms, the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Defence.
The delegation visited the following places at Paris - Charles de Gaulle
Airport:
· Immigration Waiting Areas
(ZAPI) II and III
· Transit Lounge at Terminal 2A
· Police Stations at Terminals 1,
T9, 2A, 2C and 2F2
· Holding facilities used by Customs
Units 2 and 4 and by Customs Control and Surveillance Brigades 2 and 4.
