police detention centre or detention centre. The working group formulated the goal of simplifying and extending the daily open hours in all open detention stations from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. The working group also agreed on future criteria for excluding persons in detention pending forced return from open detention stations. These criteria include the person constituting a danger to himself/herself or others, inability to get along in groups, presenting a health risk to others or hygienic reasons. The working group stressed that the possible exclusion of a person in detention pending forced return from open detention because he/she is on a hunger strike should not be a disciplinary measure, but should be for the purpose of providing more intensive therapeutic and medical care to the hunger striker. The working group also outlined the necessary criteria for relocating a person in detention pending forced return who is on a hunger strike as well as the further course of action and care. The working group deemed it important to create a relationship of trust between the hunger striker and external physicians – i.e. physicians not employed by the Ministry of the Interior. The NPM considered the lack of technical training of the employees in police detention centres as a serious structural deficiency. It is therefore gratifying to hear that the Federal Ministry of the Interior has now promised to implement a basic training course, which all executive employees working in police detention centres must pass in the future. This basic training course should provide employees working in police detention centres with the technical, personal and social skills needed to provide high quality service in the area of police detention. It is anticipated that the basic training course will consist of a theoretical part lasting three weeks and a practical part lasting one week. The working group shall discuss the organisation and content of the training sessions further. The NPM has suggested including the topics of suicide prevention and treatment of persons with mental disorders in the basic training. Training of personnel As of the editorial deadline for this report, no definitive solution could be found for other matters discussed by the working group, such as the improvement of work and activity opportunities for inmates, the creation of alternative visiting modalities (more table visits) and the general extension of visiting hours at police detention centres. In the opinion of the NPM, the joint development of solutions for complex and, at times, long-standing problems has been working well. Therefore, the working group will continue its activities in 2015. The Federal Ministry of the Interior could not set a specific date for full implementation of the standards developed by the working group at this time, since implementation of the new standards must be preceded by amendments to the detention regulations as well as structural and organisational changes. 120 Continuation of the working group