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Council of Europe anti-torture Committee visits Lithuania

Strasbourg, 07.12.2012 – A delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) carried out a periodic visit to Lithuania from 27 November to 4 December 2012.

Particular attention was paid to the treatment of persons detained by the police and the conditions of detention in police arrest houses. The treatment and regime of prisoners, including life-sentenced prisoners, were also examined during the visit. In addition, a follow-up visit to Kaunas Juvenile Remand Prison was carried out to review the measures taken to implement recommendations made after previous visits to the establishment.

In the course of the visit, the delegation had consultations with Gytis ANDRULIONIS, Deputy Minister of Justice, and Mindaugas LADIGA, Deputy Minister of the Interior, as well as with senior officials from the Ministries of Justice, the Interior, Health, and Social Security and Labour. In addition, talks were held with Romas VALENTUKEVIČIUS, Seimas Ombudsman. The delegation also met representatives of non-governmental organisations active in areas of concern to the CPT.

At the end of the visit, the delegation presented its preliminary observations to the Lithuanian authorities.

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

    -     James McMANUS (British), Head of delegation
    -     Natalia KHUTORSKAYA (Russian)
    -     Marzena KSEL (Polish)
    -     Arman TATOYAN (Armenian)
    -     George TUGUSHI (Georgian)
    -     Marika VÄLI (Estonian).

They were supported by Elvin ALIYEV and Julien ATTUIL-KAYSER of the CPT's Secretariat, and assisted by Pétur HAUKSSON, psychiatrist, Reykjavik (Iceland).

The delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty:

Police establishments

    -     Alytus City Police Headquarters Arrest House
    -     Joniškis District Police Department Arrest House
    -     Kėdainiai District Police Department Arrest House
    -     Kelmė District Police Department Arrest House
    -     Lazdijai District Police Department Arrest House
    -     Šiauliai City Police Headquarters Arrest House
    -     Varėna District Police Department Arrest House
    -     Vilnius City Police Headquarters Arrest House

Prisons

    -     Alytus Correction Facility
    -     Kaunas Juvenile Remand Prison
    -     Lukiškės Remand Prison (Vilnius)
    -     Šiauliai Remand Prison

Psychiatric establishments

    -     Republican Psychiatric Hospital (Vilnius).

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