STRASBOURG, 26.07.2001 - The Portuguese Government has requested the publication of the report of the COUNCIL OF EUROPE’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) on the visit to Portugal in April 1999 and of its responses. The visit was carried out from 19 to 30 April 1999 within the framework of the CPT's programme of periodic visits for 1999; it was the Committee’s fourth visit to Portugal.

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.

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The CPT's delegation visited the following places:

- Headquarters at Rua Venâncio Rodrigues, Coimbra

- Headquarters at Praça Marquês de Pombal, Aveiro

- Headquarters at Rua Olímpio Nicolau Rui Fernandes, Coimbra

- Headquarters at Largo de São Pedro, Leiria

- Headquarters at Avenida Luisa Tódy, Setúbal

- Holding facilities at Rua Capelo (Governo Civil), Lisbon

- Holding facilities at Quartel da Bela Vista, Rua Monte Aventino, Oporto

- Police Station at Largo do Calvário, Lisbon

- Police Station at Rua de Naulila, Antas, Oporto

- Headquarters at Avenida Dias da Silva, Coimbra

- Headquarters at Largo de Santo Estevão, Leiria

- Headquarters at Avenida Jaime Cortesão, Setúbal

- Temporary holding facilities at Lisbon Airport

- Coimbra Regional Prison (including the detention facility at the Judicial Police Headquarters)

- Leiria Special Prison

- Lisbon Central Prison

- Oporto Central Prison

- Sobral Cid Hospital, Coimbra

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The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 41 of the 43 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, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. When they joined the Council of Europe in January 2001, Armenia and Azerbajan commited themselves to ratify the Convention within a one-year delay.

The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, police and 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 and to interview those persons in private. 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 other visits which appear to it be required in the circumstances.

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The CPT's report on its visit to Portugal in 1999 (65 pages) and the interim and follow-up responses of the Portuguese Government (43 and 21 pages) can be obtained from:

A 4 page summary of the CPT's main findings can be faxed upon request.

The reports can also be obtained from:

• Gabinete de S.E. o Ministro da Justiça
  Praça do Comércio, 1149-019 Lisboa ; tél.: 21 322 23 00; fax: 21 347 92 08
• Gabinete de S.E. o Ministro da Administração Interna
  Praça do Comércio, 1149-015 Lisboa ; tél.: 21 323 30 00; fax: 21 342 73 72
• Gabinete de Relações Internacionais Europeias e de Cooperação, Ministério da Justiça
  Avenida Óscar Monteiro Torres, nº39 - 2º, 1049-037 Lisboa ; tél.: 21 793 55 85; fax: 21 796 55 25.