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STRASBOURG, 29.03.2001 - The Hungarian 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 Hungary in December 1999 and of its response.
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.
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The CPT's visit to Hungary was carried out from 5 to 16 December 1999, within the framework of the Committee's programme of periodic visits for 1999.
During this second visit to Hungary, the CPT’s delegation met Mr Janos Szabo, Minister of Defence, Mr Arpad Gogl, Minister of Health, Mr Lazslo Felkai, Administrative Secretary of State of Interior, Mr Istvan Somogyvari, Administrative Secretary of State of Justice, Mr Gyula Pulay, Administrative Secretary of State of Social and Family Affairs, Mr Janos Fabian, Deputy Prosecutor General and Mrs Katalin Gonczol, Parliamentary Commissioner for Human Rights. Further, it held consultations at the Budapest Forensic Institute of Medicine and at the Public Health Directorate of the Ministry of Health.
In the framework of this visit, the delegation followed up a certain number of issues examined during the CPT's first visit in 1994. Furthermore, it visited for the first time police establishments outside the capital, a care home for psychiatric patients, the psychiatric departments of a general hospital, as well as a military prison.
The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:
Establishments under the Ministry of the Interior
- Police central holding facility, Budapest
- 5th and 8th District Police Stations, Budapest
- Regional Police Detention Facility, Debrecen
- Budai Street Police Station, Debrecen
- Hajduhadhaz Police Station (Hajdu-Bihar County)
- Regional Police Detention Facility, Veszprem
- Holding Facility for Aliens (transit area), Budapest International Airport
- Community Shelter for Aliens, Budapest International Airport
- Community Shelter for Aliens, Nyarbator
Establishments under the Ministry of Justice
- Budapest Remand Prison
- Veszprem Prison
- Tokol Prisons (Establishment for juveniles and Unit for HIV+ prisoners)
Establishments under the Ministry of Health
- Balassagyarrmat General Hospital (Psychiatric Departments I & II)
Establishments under the Ministry of Social and Family Affairs
- Care Home for psychiatric patients, Ludanyhalaszi
Establishments under the Ministry of Defence
- Military Prison, Budapest.
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 Hungary in 1999 (80 pages) and the response of the Hungarian Government (45 pages) can 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 or Cathie BURTON
tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 28 93
fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 90 ; E-mail pressunit@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
A 6 page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.
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