Annual Report 2010 by the National Preventive Mechanism against Torture
In many cases detainees
179. The average time spent by detainees in the cells of the Regional Police Force
are held between 3 and 8
of Navarre was observed to be less than 24 hours. In many cases it is between
hours. They are brought
before the courts in the
mornings
three and eight hours. Detainees are brought before the courts in the mornings;
though in the town of Tafalla (Navarre) the courthouse is in the same building
as the police station, so the time taken to bring detainees admitted there before
the courts is minimal.
Recently-built
180. Most establishments were constructed between 2002 and 2007, except for
establishments with good
the station in Pamplona (Navarre), which was set up 25 years ago in an older
standards of conservation
and upkeep
building owned by the Provincial Council. This building was last refurbished 12
years ago. The standard of conservation and upkeep in all these establishments
is good.
Cells are located in the
181. In almost all the establishments visited the holding cells are located in the
basement or on the ground
basement or on the ground floor of the building, and there is direct access from
floor, with direct access
from the garage
the garage. An exception is the station in Alsasua (Navarre), where detainees are
taken to the cells via the same entrance used by the general public. This practice
must be changed.
Cell doors & front walls are
182. In all the establishments visited except the station in Alsasua (Navarre)
made of security glass.
there is an area adjacent to the cells that has various rooms available for use as
All cells are for single
occupancy except at the
station in Pamplona
(Navarre)
interrogation rooms, offices for custodial duty officers and for making record
entries. The number of cells varies from one station to another, but all have built
in plinths that serve as beds, and doors and front walls made of security glass. All
cells are for single occupancy except at the station in Pamplona (Navarre), where
there are two collective cells. Cell size is adequate and meets the criteria set out in
paragraph 49 above.
The protocol for
183. In the two collective cells, the internal protocol for separate custody of
separation in collective
detainees according to sex, age group, repeat offenders and participants in the
cells is followed
same offence (PF 2010-06) is followed.
Satisfactory ventilation,
184. Standards of ventilation, temperature, lighting and cleaning in cells
temperature, lighting &
were found to be satisfactory. It was reported that cells were cleaned every day
cleaning
and disinfected at regular intervals or on an extraordinary basis whenever
necessary.
There is CCTV surveillance,
185. At all the stations visited CCTV cameras were observed to be in place in the
with recordings being kept
corridors of holding areas and inside the cells. The images were displayed in the
for 15 days
control rooms. Recordings were made and kept for 15 days. The authorisation of
the Head of the Regional Police Force is required for the extraction of these
recordings. On the visit to the station in Pamplona (Navarre) the inspection team
viewed recordings which had been kept to document incidents that had occurred
94
THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN
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