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Press Release

European Committee for the Prevention of Torture: 
Publication of the report on the visit to Portugal and of the interim report of the Portuguese authorities in response

STRASBOURG, 21.11.96 - The Government of Portugal has requested the publication of the report of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on its visit to Portugal in May 1995 and of the interim report drawn up by the Portuguese authorities in response to the CPT's report.

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 agree to lift the rule of confidentiality provided for in the Convention.

The CPT's visit to Portugal was carried out from 14 to 26 May 1995; it was the Committee's second periodic visit to Portugal (the first having taken place from 19 to 27 January 1992). The CPT's delegation visited the following places of detention:

Police establishments

Judicial Police

• Serious Crime Squad at Avenida José Malhoa, Lisbon
• Headquarters at Rua S. Bento da Vitória, Oporto

Public Security Police

• Police Station at Avenida Movimento Forças Armadas, Amadora
• Police Station at Rua André Resende, Benfica
• Holding facilities at the Governo Civil, Lisbon (follow-up visit) (*)
• Police Station at Praça da Alegria, Lisbon (follow-up visit) (*)
• Divisional Headquarters at Rua de Goa, Matosinhos
• Holding facilities at Largo 1° de Dezembro, Oporto
• Police Station at Rua de Naulila, Oporto
• Police Station at Praça de Infante D. Henrique, Oporto
• Police Station at Praça Coronel Pacheco, Oporto
• Police Station at Largo dos Restauradores, Seixal
• Headquarters at Avenida Luisa Tódy, Setúbal
• Police Station at Avenida da República, Vila Nova de Gaia

National Republican Guard

• Rua Central Station, Lever
• Headquarters at Avenida Jaime Cortesão, Setúbal

Prisons

• Judicial Police Prison, Lisbon (follow-up visit) (*)
• Judicial Police Prison, Oporto
• Linhó Prison, Sintra (follow-up visit) (*)
• Oporto Prison (C Wing) (**)

Detention Centres for minors

• Padre Antonio de Oliveira Re-education Centre, Caxias
• Observation and Social Action Centre, Lisbon

Other establishments

• San João de Deus Prison Hospital, Caxias

(*) Establishments first visited by the CPT during its periodic visit to Portugal in 1992.

(**) Oporto Prison was visited a second time by the CPT in October 1996.

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 (as from 1.2.97), Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia (as from 1.3.97), Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Norway, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey 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. It may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The Committee organises periodic visits as well as any other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

The CPT's report on its visit to Portugal (78 pages) and the interim report drawn up by the Portuguese authorities in response (62 pages) can be obtained from:

• the Council of Europe Press Department:
  (Sabine ZIMMER, tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 25 97; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 90)
• the Committee for the Prevention of Torture's Secretariat:
  (tel. +33/(0)3 88 41 23 88; fax +33/(0)3 88 41 27 72).

A 6 page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.

A Portuguese translation of the CPT's report, as well as the Government's response, can be obtained from:

• the Private Office of the Minister for Justice:
  (Praça do Comércio, 1100 Lisboa; tel. 347 47 80)
• the Private Office of the Minister for the Interior:
  (Praça do Comércio, 1100 Lisboa; tel. 346 45 21).