Brussels, 16/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - In a statement published on Tuesday 15 March, the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) of the Council of Europe criticised the conditions for the treatment and detention of illegal immigrants in Greece, in particular the “persistent lack of action to improve the situation (…) as regards the detention of irregular migrants and the state of the prison system”, a press release reads. On 8 March, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) issued a report in which it described the detention conditions for illegal migrants, coming mainly from Turkey, as “inhuman” in certain centres in Greece.
The CPT's reports on its visits to Greece “all paint a similar picture of irregular migrants being held in very poor conditions in police stations, and other ill-adapted premises, often disused warehouses, for periods of up to 6 months, and even longer, with no access to outdoor exercise, no other activities and inadequate health-care provision”, the press release states. The recommendations to improve the situation for irregular migrants have, however, continued to be ignored, the CPT continues, stating that “no steps were taken to put in place a coordinated and acceptable approach as regards their detention and treatment”. (S.P./transl.fl)