Grasping the nettle: Ending Europe’s Trade in Execution and Torture Technology 43 for emphasis]. No further information is available regarding the quantity of restraint chairs imported into the Netherlands nor whether they were for use in the Netherlands and if so for what purpose, or whether they were intended for subsequent re-export. The chair manufactured by Safety Restraint Chair Inc., has been promoted for sale by a range of companies in the U.S. and elsewhere, including the EU-based company, De Ridder Products, which has offices in Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands.196 On 29 April 2015, in response to an information request from Amnesty International and Omega, De Ridder stated: “De Ridder Products is a company that has the vision to become a European Detention Supplier and to make staying in a prison or police cell a safe place for inmates and staff of the detention centers. On our search to new products we are always looking for good, safe and innovative products that are in line with our vision. After reading your report we have decided to delete the mentioned chair out of our assortment and we have also removed it from our website. After taking everything in consideration we come to the conclusion that this product does not match our vision on safety for the prisoners when used wrongly.”197 This important statement from De Ridder is welcomed by Amnesty International and Omega. The recognition by the company that the Safety Restraint Chair (which employs fabric straps) can be misused underlines the need for such chairs to be controlled under the Regulation. In addition to restraint chairs employing fabric or leather straps, other forms of restraint chair manufactured by non-EU companies utilise handcuffs, leg-cuffs or other metal restraints. Amnesty International and Omega have previously uncovered evidence of the promotion of such restraint chairs by non-EU companies at EU arms and security fairs and exhibitions in 2011.198 The European Commission has recognised that restraint chairs, shackle boards and shackle beds, “Restrict movement of the prisoner much more than simultaneous application of e.g. handcuffs and ankle cuffs. The inherent risk of torture or inhuman treatment increases when this restraining technique is applied for longer periods. It is therefore necessary to prohibit the trade in restraint chairs, shackle boards and shackle beds.” 199 However, the Commission also argued that chairs, boards and beds, “Fitted exclusively with straps should be exempt from this prohibition as in certain circumstances their use may be justified for short periods of time, e.g. to prevent patients in a state of agitation from causing injury to themselves or to other persons.”200 Consequently, in July 2014, the Commission added restraint chairs, shackle boards and shackle beds to the list of prohibited goods under the Regulation. However, “chairs fitted with straps” and “boards and beds fitted with straps” were specifically excluded from such prohibitions, and are not currently controlled at all under the Regulation.201 Amnesty International and Omega believe these exemptions have introduced a serious loophole into the control regime and consequently allow the uncontrolled transfer of such restraint chairs, boards and beds into or from the EU. This loophole needs to be urgently addressed. Amnesty International and Omega Recommendation: Amnesty International and Omega recognise that the employment of certain restraint devices utilising fabric straps for short periods may be justified to prevent agitated patients from harming themselves or others. We believe that the trade in devices for such limited purposes must be explicitly defined to ensure they are not employed for ill-treatment and torture. 196 De Ridder Products, http://www.deridderproducts.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=1336 (accessed 13 February 2015). As stated in its response to Amnesty International and Omega, De Ridder has subsequently removed all details of the safety restraint chair from its website. 197 Email correspondence from representative of De Ridder Products, 29 April 2015. 198 No more delays: putting an end to the EU trade in “tools of torture”, ACT 30/06/2012, Amnesty International & Omega Research Foundation. 199 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 775/2014 of 16 July 2014 200 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 775/2014 of 16 July 2014 201 European Commission, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 775/2014 of 16 July 2014 Index: EUR 01/1632/2015 Amnesty International May 2015