Committee that a strategy for improving the health-care services in prisons
is under preparation. Furthermore, the
authorities indicate that the CPT’s recommendations are reflected in the new
internal rules for medical care in prison,
adopted in October 2015.
Report and response published in November
2015 (CPT/Inf (2015) 36 and CPT/Inf (2015) 37)
Report on the periodic visit
to the Czech Republic in April
2014 and response of the
Czech authorities
(treatment and conditions of detention
in police establishments and prisons,
situation of juveniles, high-security and
life-sentenced prisoners, situation of
foreign nationals held under aliens legislation, treatment of and legal safeguards
offered to persons held under the measure of “security detention”, situation of
involuntary psychiatric patients, surgical
castration of sex offenders)
37. As regards the police, the majority of
persons interviewed by its delegation stated that they had been treated in a correct
manner whilst in police custody. However,
a number of allegations were received
from detained persons of excessive use
of force at the time of apprehension
and physical ill-treatment during police
questioning. In addition, several persons
claimed that they had been subjected to
verbal abuse by police officers.
Despite a specific recommendation
made after previous visits, the practice
of handcuffing detained persons to fixed
objects in police establishments persisted, and the CPT calls upon the Czech
authorities to take effective measures
to stamp out such practices. Further,
the CPT expresses serious misgivings
about the fact that persons detained by
the police were routinely subjected to a
General Report of the CPT, 2015 ► Page 18
strip-search. The Committee formulates
specific recommendations regarding
the circumstances of and procedures
for searching detained persons in police
establishments.
In their response, the Czech authorities
underline that the prevention of unprofessional and unacceptable practices will
continue to be the subject of periodic
training of police officers and personnel.
As regards strip-searches, methodological guidelines will be drawn up with the
aim of avoiding routine strip-searches
and regulating the manner in which
strip-searches should be carried out.
38. No allegations of ill-treatment by
staff or violence amongst inmates were
received at the Bělá-Jezová Detention
Centre for Foreigners. Material con
ditions were found to be generally
satisfactory, and foreign nationals were
offered a wide range of activities. The
CPT acknowledges the efforts made by
the management to accommodate the
special needs of children held in the
Centre together with their parents. At
the same time, the Committee stresses
that the placement of juveniles with their
parents in a detention centre should
only occur as a last resort and for the
shortest possible time. The Centre was
generally well-staffed. However, most
of the staff did not speak any foreign
languages, and many members of staff
had received no specific training in how
to work in a multi-ethnic environment.
39. In respect of prisons in general, the
delegation received a few allegations of
physical ill-treatment and verbal abuse,
including of a racist nature, by custodial staff. Further, inter-prisoner violence
appeared to be a problem at Valdice
Prison, despite the efforts made by the
management of the establishment.
As regards juvenile prisoners, the CPT
expresses its grave concern regarding
the frequency of allegations of physical
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