party) and, without prior warning, had thrown tear gas cartridges into the room before dragging them down the stairs to the entrance and then to the police van, while subjecting them to beat­ ings. A significant number of persons interviewed displayed visible injuries which were consistent with the allegations made. The CPT recommends that a firm message be delivered to all law enforcement officials throughout Turkey who are involved in crowd control operations, reminding them that all forms of ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty are not accept­ able and will be punished according­ly. Further, the Committee expresses serious misgivings about the apparent use of tear gas grenades within a con­ fined space. In their response, the Turkish authorities provide information on criminal and disciplinary inquiries launched in relation to alleged ill-treatment and/or excessive use of force during police operations carried out in the context of the Gezi protests in Ankara and Istanbul. 58. The great majority of prisoners interviewed by the delegation at the prisons visited stated that they had been treated by staff in a correct manner. However, at Sincan Juvenile Prison, the delegation received a number of allegations of recent physical ill-treatment of juveniles by staff. Most of those allegations concerned slaps, kicks, punches and blows with a plastic pipe on the hands and/or the soles of the feet, as a form of corporal punishment for misbehaviour. A large number of allegations of a similar nature were also heard from juveniles at Şanlıurfa E-type Prison (where some of them also claimed to have received so-called “welcome beatings”) and to a lesser extent at Gaziantep E-type Prison. Further, the delegation received many allegations of physical ill-treatment by staff from adult prisoners (mainly sex offenders) at Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa E-type Prisons. In their response to a specific recommendation made by the CPT, the Turkish authorities inform the Committee that they have instructed the management and staff of all relevant prison establishments to demonstrate diligence and sensitivity in their approach towards juvenile inmates. 59. The delegation observed disturbing levels of overcrowding in some of the prisons visited, in particular at Gaziantep and Şanlıurfa E-type Prisons. These two establishments, as well as Diyarbakır E-type Prison, were found to be in a poor state of repair. Further, the overwhelming majority of adult prisoners in all the prisons visited were not being offered a regime worthy of the name; the regime provided to remand prisoners was particularly underdeveloped. In contrast, as regards juvenile prisoners, serious efforts were being made to involve as many of them as possible in activities suitable for their age (with the exception of Şanlıurfa E-type Prison where the vast majority of juveniles had to spend practically the whole day in their living units). In its report, the CPT also expresses concern about the serious shortage of doctors and nurses in all the prisons visited. In their response, the Turkish authorities provide information on measures taken, inter alia, to combat prison overcrowding and improve conditions of detention in certain prisons. Report and response published in January 2015 (CPT/Inf (2015) 6 and CPT/Inf (2015) 7) Publication highlights ► Page 27