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

STRASBOURG, 11.10.2001 - 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 two-week visit to Greece. The visit began on 23 September 2001 and was carried out within the framework of the CPT’s programme of periodic visits for the year 2001. It was the Committee's third periodic visit to Greece.

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

They were assisted by James McMANUS (Professor at the Department of Law, University of Dundee, Scotland), as well as by three members of the CPT's Secretariat, Jan MALINOWSKI, Hanne JUNCHER and Cyrille ORIZET.

In the course of this visit, the CPT’s delegation held consultations with Michalis STATHOPOULOS, Minister for Justice, Prodromos ASEMIADES, General Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and Demetris EFSTATHIADES, General Secretary of the Ministry of Public Order. The delegation also met George KAMINIS, Deputy Ombudsman responsible for human rights.

The CPT’s delegation reviewed developments concerning the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty by law enforcement agencies and conditions of detention in prison. It paid particular attention to the situation of persons held under aliens legislation.

The delegation visited the following places:

    -     Kristalopigi Customs Detention Facilities

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 Greece and its consultations with the Greek authorities are confidential.

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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. Forty one 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. When they joined the Council of Europe in January 2001, Armenia and Azerbaijan undertook to ratify the Convention within one year.

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 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 any other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

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Further information about the CPT 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 89/90; e-mail sabine.zimmer@coe.int

-     the CPT’s Secretariat: tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 39 39; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72; e-mail cptdoc@coe.int