died in a net-bed at Dobřany Psychiatric Hospital in January 2012. According to the CPT, “The patient concerned was reportedly placed in a net-bed on the day of her admission to the hospital and, after having spent several hours therein, she tore the net and strangulated herself in the loop. Allegedly, this happened despite constant CCTV-coverage of the net-bed where the patient was placed.”245 Slovakia In November 2016, the UN Human Rights Committee highlighted its concerns regarding the continued “practice of physical and mechanical restraints, in netted cage beds” for people with disabilities held in certain State institutions.246 The Committee consequently stated that Slovkia should “abolish the use of netted cage beds and other forms of restraint in psychiatric and related institutions.”247 5.2.4.2. Manufacture, promotion and/or transfer of net and cage beds Following the adoption by the EU of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 775/2014 in July 2014, “cage beds” and “net beds” were added to the list of prohibited goods (Annex II) under EC Regulation 1236/2005 248 Consequently, the import and export of such items was prohibited in all EU Member States. It is unknown whether any non-EU CoE member States currently control or prohibit the trade in such devices. In 2015 Amnesty International and the Omega Research Foundation highlighted the promotion of net beds by two Czech companies on their websites. Following a request for further information from Amnesty International and Omega both companies removed all information concerning these devices from their websites.249 Subsequently the Omega Research Foundation has found no further promotion of such devices by companies based in the CoE. 5.2.4.3. Recommendation:  CoE member States should prohibit the manufacture, promotion, import, export, brokering or other transfer of cage or net beds. The use of such restraints by CoE law enforcement and prison officials, or health professionals should be prohibited, and all existing devices should be removed and verifiably destroyed. 245 CPT (31 March 2015) op.cit., paragraph 170. UN, Human Rights Committee, Concluding observations on the fourth report of Slovakia, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, CCPR/C/SVK/CO/4, 22 November 2016, paragraph 20. 247 UN (22 November 2016) op.cit., paragraph 21. 248 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 775/2014 of 16 July 2014. 249 For further information see: Amnesty International & Omega Research Foundation, Grasping the Nettle: Ending Europe’s Trade in Torture Technology, EUR 01/1632/2015, May 2015, pp.19-20. 246 50