ANNUAL SPECIAL REPORT 2017 41 cleaning service and better maintenance of the premises. • It is absolutely essential and crucial to public health that spaces for the detainees’ personal hygiene are created, even with using mobile structures (containers). • Finally, creation of an extra space is considered necessary, in order to avoid over-crowding and the consequences thereof. Transits Department of Thessaloniki (7th February 2017) This detention facility is housed in a privately owned building, designed as a factory storage space. As a result, any intervention or maintenance is subject to the provisions of the lease agreement, with any obstacle this may entail. The space comprises of six large cells along a corridor, and there is also a room for inspection of new entrants, where they only remain, as the officers assured us for a few minutes. Apart from that, at the end of the corridor there is also a quite larger hall, which was initially designated as an indoor yard and recreation space. However, shortage of security personnel and the increased number of detainees have caused this to be used as a cell as well. Detainees have no visual contact with the outdoor environment, as cells lack windows. There are only some skylights close to the ceiling in the outer wall. As a result, natural ventilation is not possible and natural light is insufficient. This is a quite high-ceilinged space with no central heating system. Three large air conditioning ground units aimed at the cells are used for heating and cooling. It is however questionable whether those units suffice in cold weather conditions, given the high ceiling and the humidity marks observed. A built-in long “Π” shaped bench along the cells’ walls is used as a bed, with individual foam mattresses. When detainees lay down each one’s head is by the next one’s feet. Cells have no tables or chairs. Each cell has 2 and 1 shower. There is no yard and detainees remain constantly inside the cells. A cleaning service contract has expired and there is no cleaning service provided, but detainees, in cooperation with the security staff, make efforts to keep the space clean. Outside each cell there are large garbage bags. On the day of the on-site inspection 54 persons were held, while the officers in charge informed us that the number of detainees periodically rises to 100, and there were instances it rose up to 140 persons. We were also informed that 60-70 persons on average are held daily. Medical incidents are treated by on-duty hospitals, as there is no doctor or nurse serving. Officers encounter difficulties in distributing medicine, since they report that Detention Facilities do not clearly regroup medication for each prisoner. Moreover, as we were informed, the fact that the Department is responsible for all kinds of transit within the Region makes execution of their duties more burdensome.