CAT/OP/ROU/1 solitary confinement should be strictly prohibited when their disabilities would be exacerbated by such measures. 9. Instruments of restraint 104. The delegation is concerned at information that in Iasi prison instruments of restraint, that is, handcuffs and “T devices” whereby hands and ankles are cuffed and interlinked by a chain, were imposed on some detainees placed in solitary confinement and that instruments of restraint were systematically imposed on detainees classified as “high risk” for all movements outside their cell. The delegation notes that the use of such instruments is not subject to a maximum time limit. 105. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party ensure that instruments of restraint are never applied as a punishment, are used only if no lesser form of controlling an actual risk is available and are removed as soon as possible. 32 10. Contact with the outside world and visits 106. The delegation observed that in Giurgiu and Aiud prisons, periodic conjugal visits were at times restricted for detainees in closed and maximum security regimes. In Poarta Alba prison, detainees between the ages of 18 and 21 told the delegation they were not entitled to conjugal visits. In all prisons visited, unmarried detainees said it was difficult, expensive and complicated to obtain the notarial act necessary to be eligible for conjugal visits. 107. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party ensure that all detainees can have, without discrimination, conjugal visits, irrespective of their regime or type of unit. The State party should also consider simplifying the procedure and the requirements to enable conjugal visits for unmarried couples and same-sex partners.33 11. Transfer of prisoners 108. The delegation is concerned about the means of transportation used to transfer women and children detainees from one facility to another. In the van used for transport, in an effort to keep them separated from men, women and children are placed in a small cagelike box measuring about 1 square metre, without any ventilation, heating, water or food, for journeys that can occur often and can be extremely long (up to 12 hours). The Subcommittee considers that such transfers fall short of a humane system of transportation. 109. Furthermore, persons suffering or suspected of having contracted infectious diseases were not kept separated from other detainees during the transfer and no preventive measure was used to avoid the transmission of infectious diseases. 110. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party review the modes of transportation of prisoners, in particular for women and children, to ensure that detainees are not subject to unnecessary physical hardship, and to prevent the transportation of healthy detainees together with detainees suffering from infectious diseases. C. Centres for migrants and asylum seekers 111. The delegation visited two open accommodation centres for asylum seekers, one in Giurgiu and one in Bucharest, which did not raise any concerns. 112. It also visited the specialized immigration detention facilities (the Otopeni Detention Centre for Foreigners in Bucharest), which was housing 42 persons at the time of the visit; maximum capacity for the centre is 164. The delegation found that persons accommodated at the centre were generally locked up all day in their room, with minimum contact with other residents and staff. The Subcommittee notes that the confinement of migrants, 32 33 Ibid., rules 43 and 47–49. Ibid., rule 58. 17