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Press Release

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

STRASBOURG, 09.04.98 - 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 nine day visit to Iceland. The visit, which began on 29 March 1998, was organised within the framework of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1998. It was the Committee's second periodic visit to Iceland, the first having taken place in 1993.

The members of the delegation were:

• Günther KAISER (Head of the delegation) (German)
• Miklós MAGYAR (Hungarian)
• Maria SCIBERRAS (Maltese)
• Florin STANESCU (Romanian)
• Leopoldo TORRES BOURSAULT (Spanish).

The delegation was assisted by Andrew COYLE (Director of the International Centre for Prison Studies, School of Law, King's College, London, United Kingdom) and Enda DOOLEY (Medical doctor, Director of the Prison Medical Service, Department of Justice, Dublin, Ireland), as well as by two members of the CPT's Secretariat, Fabrice KELLENS and Borys WÓDZ.

The delegation visited the following places:

Police establishments :

• Akureyri Police Station
• Keflavik Police Station
• Keflavik Air Base Police Station
• Reykjavik Police Headquarters

Prisons :

• Akureyri State Prison
• Kópavogur State Prison
• Litla-Hraun State Prison
• Skólavördustigur State Prison, Reykjavik

Psychiatric facilities :

• Institute for insane and mentally deficient offenders, Sogn
• Psychiatric Ward at the Akureyri Regional Hospital

Juvenile establishments :

• Treatment and Diagnostic Centre, Studlar.

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 in relation to its visit to Iceland and its consultations with the Icelandic 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. The following 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 (as from 1 June 1998), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, 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. Its 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.

Further information may be obtained from:

• the CPT's Website:
  http://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

Founded in 1949, the Council of Europe is the oldest European Organisation. Based in Strasbourg, France, it has 40 member countries and covers every policy area except defence. It is separate from the European Union.