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Press Release

First visit to Latvia by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

STRASBOURG, 08.02.99 - 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 an eleven day visit to Latvia (24 January to 3 February 1999). It was the CPT's first visit to Latvia, the Convention setting up the Committee having entered into force for Latvia on 1 June 1998.

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

• John OLDEN, Head of the Delegation, 2nd Vice-President of the CPT (Irish)
• Lambert KELCHTERMANS (Belgian)
• Pirkko LAHTI (Finnish)
• Jagoda POLONCOVÁ (Slovakian)
• Ole-Vedel RASMUSSEN (Danish).

They were assisted by two experts - Timothy HARDING (Director of the University Institute of Forensic Medicine, Geneva) and Sonja SNACKEN (Professor of Criminology and Sociology of Law at the Free University of Brussels) - as well as by Fabrice KELLENS and Borys WÓDZ of the CPT’s Secretariat.

At the beginning of the visit, the delegation met Girts KRISTOVSKIS, Minister of Defence, Roberts JURDZS, Minister of the Interior, Vladimirs MAKAROVS, Minister of Welfare and Ingrida LABUCKA, Minister of Justice.

The delegation visited the following places:

Riga

• Gogola and Matisa Street Police Stations
• General Police Board Detention Facility, Aspazijas Street
• Police Sobering-up Centre, Pupolu Street
• Illegal Immigrant and other Unidentified Persons Accommodation Centre, Gaizina Street
• Preventive Care Centre for Minors, Alises Street
• Pre-Trial Investigation Centre and Short-Term Detention Isolator, Brivibas Street
• Central Prison
• Ilguciema Prison

Riga

• Garrison Detention Facility

Riga

• Neuropsychiatric Hospital

Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Education:

• Naukseni Educational and Correctional Institution for girls

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 Latvia and its consultations with the Latvian 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. 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, Lithuania (as from 1 March 1999), Liechtenstein, 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, 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. 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.

Further information 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 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

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.