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STRASBOURG, 16.02.99 – The Icelandic Government has decided to make public the report of the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on its visit to Iceland in 1998.
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 may decide to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention.
The CPT's visit was carried out from 29 March to 6 April 1998, in the context of the Committee's programme of periodic visits for 1998. It was the Committee's second visit to Iceland (the first having been carried out in 1993). The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:
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.
The CPT was set under the 1987 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. All the 40 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, Liechtenstein, Lithuania (as from 1st March 1999), 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, 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. 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 other visits which appear to it be required in the circumstances.
The CPT’s report on its visit to Iceland (70 pages) can be obtained from:
The Council of Europe Press Department:
Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 25 97 ; fax (0)3 88 41 27 90 ; e-mail pressunit@coe.fr
The CPT’s Secretariat:
Tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 23 88 ; fax (0)3 88 41 27 72 ; e-mail cptdoc@coe.int
The CPT’s Internet site: www.cpt.coe.int
A five page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.
An Icelandic version of the visit report has simultaneously been made public in Reykjavik.
A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe promotes democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 40 member states.
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