in the country’s prisons, including ill-treatment by staff and inter-prisoner violence, corruption and lack of activities. 54. The CPT concludes the report by stating that the time “has come for the rule of law and protection of human rights to be applied fully in the prison system and for “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” to abide by its international obligations to co-operate with the CPT”. 55. The response of the authorities points to the various programmes being developed to improve the situation; it states that each individual recommendation of the CPT would be taken into account and acted upon. After receiving the response, the CPT held high-level talks on 14 October 2017 with the Prime Minister and other senior ministers and officials regarding the importance of prison reform (see paragraph 18 above). Report and response published in October 2017 (CPT/Inf(2017)30 and CPT/Inf(2017)31) Report on the periodic visit to the Netherlands in May 2016 and response of the Dutch authorities (situation in police custody, prisons, penitentiary psychiatric centres, and civil psychiatric establishments) 56. The CPT’s report welcomes the fact that, in principle, persons in police custody have the possibility to be assisted by a lawyer prior to questioning. In the light of observations during the visit, however, the CPT recommends that juveniles should not be questioned or made to sign any document concerning an offence they are suspected of committing without the presence of a lawyer and a trusted adult. The report also indicates problems, in practice, with exercising the right to have a third party notified of one’s arrest, and the right to see a doctor while in police custody. 57. The report welcomes the considerable decrease in the prison population in the course of the last decade. The CPT’s delegation received no allegations of ill-treatment by staff or of inter-prisoner violence in the prisons visited, and gained a very good impression of the Extra Care Provision unit (EZV), present in every Dutch prison, where vulnerable prisoners are provided with appropriate care. 58. However, as regards the “terrorist” unit in De Schie Prison, the report recommends that placement and risk assessment procedures should be reviewed and the applicable regime improved. In response, the Dutch authorities describe the development of a placement policy that separates “confirmed extremists” from those who are “rethinking” and are susceptible to influence. Further, the authorities agree to offer prisoners detained in so-called terrorist wings more activities aimed at reintegration, including out-of-cell activities. 59. The report’s assessment of penitentiary psychiatric centres (PPC) is globally positive. However, the CPT expresses concerns about the use of chemical restraint (and the associated risks) on the basis of pro re nata (PRN) prescriptions. The Dutch authorities’ response details the procedures which must be followed in the use of PRN prescriptions and asserts that these procedures are in line with the CPT’s Publication highlights ► Page 21

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