CAT/OP/ROU/1 possibility for exercise. The State party should also enlarge and improve walking areas and ensure that all police facilities have common rooms and offer recreational and sports activities. The quality of food served to detainees should be improved. B. 1. Penitentiary institutions Overcrowding 77. In most prisons visited, the Subcommittee observed severe overcrowding, which posed serious health and hygiene concerns. In addition, most dormitories visited in prison facilities were oversized and equipped with more than 20 beds and only one toilet, which does not allow prisoners any privacy. 78. In Iasi penitentiary, one of the most overcrowded detention facilities visited, 1,507 detainees were being held at the time of the visit, whereas the official capacity was 730 inmates. The delegation visited several cells where inmates had less than 2 square metres each and had to remain on their bed almost all day, due to the shortage of space. 79. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party take appropriate shortand long-term measures to reduce overcrowding in prisons. Such measures should include the use of non-custodial sanctions and not only the building of new prisons. Detainees should be provided with accommodation that complies with international standards, due regard being paid to the cubic content of air and minimum floor space. The State party should consider dividing large dormitories in order to reduce the number of inmates per cell and improve their privacy. 2. Material conditions, hygiene and sanitation 80. Material conditions of prison facilities varied between regions. In several of the facilities visited, the material conditions were inadequate as regards minimum floor space per detainee, lighting, heating and ventilation. Some of the prison facilities visited were very old and in a poor state of repair. The general levels of hygiene, access to clean water, and the conditions of toilet facilities gave rise to serious concern. The Subcommittee noted the absence, in all places visited, of furniture for storing prisoners’ personal belongings. 81. Detainees generally indicated that the quality and diversity of food was poor and that they relied on food brought by their family or bought in the prison shops to meet their nutrient needs. In the absence of refrigerators and closets, such food was stored underneath the beds, attracting rats and mice. 82. In Poarta Alba prison, 23 detainees were held in a 64-square-metre cell that had one small window of 1 square metre and two filthy toilets, which released a nauseating stench. In another cell where inmates had only 1.3 square metres each, there was mould on the ceiling, mattresses were filthy and inmates complained about bedbugs and hygiene-related diseases. 83. In Iasi prison, some detainees complained about rats coming out of the pipes of the dilapidated sanitary facilities. Others complained about the old and filthy mattresses, bedbugs and cockroaches. 84. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party speed up its efforts to undertake all necessary refurbishments in all prison facilities in order to improve the material conditions of prisoners’ accommodation. The State party should apportion a higher budget for food for prisons. 85. Medical doctors should regularly monitor the quality and quantity of food, hygiene and cleanliness as well as the provision of clean water, lighting and ventilation facilities, and should submit periodic reports to the prison director for action. 14