paid prison staff, which make it harder to prevent inter-prisoner violence and fight against corruption. 32. The published reports also highlight serious problems in psychiatric hospitals and social care homes, including poor living conditions in many hospitals, violence between patients (especially at Ganja Psychiatric Hospital) and a lack of effective legal safeguards for involuntary patients. Despite the CPT’s repeated recommendations, the situation remains unsatisfactory at the Psycho-neurological Social Care Institution No. 3 in Qırıqlı, Göygöl district, where female residents are exposed to ill-treatment by staff and physical assaults by fellow residents, staff numbers are grossly insufficient, there is a lack of activities and the legal procedure for initial placement and its periodic review is not applied in practice. 33. The CPT trusts that the publication of these seven visit reports (and responses) marks the Azerbaijani authorities’ resolve to address effectively the serious problems highlighted in its reports. As a first step, the CPT wishes to see the highest-level political authorities in the country making a public, firm and unequivocal statement of “zero tolerance” towards torture and other forms of ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in Azerbaijan. In this context, the CPT looks forward to the continuation of its co-operation with the Azerbaijani authorities with the aim of assisting Azerbaijan to implement the Committee’s long-standing recommendations. Report on the periodic visit to Belgium in March/April 2017 and response of the Belgian authorities (situation of prisoners, persons in psychiatric detention and persons in police custody) 34. In its report, the CPT focused on the Belgian authorities’ efforts to improve the treatment and conditions of detention of prisoners, ensure better care for persons subject to psychiatric detention measures and combat police violence. The CPT’s findings were unequivocal: there is still much to be done. 35. The Committee recalled that, following the 2017 visit, it had felt obliged to make a public statement in July 2017, calling on the authorities and all stakeholders to face up to their responsibilities and quickly find a solution for introducing a guaranteed minimum service in prison establishments so as to safeguard prisoners’ basic rights, particularly during industrial action by prison staff. In its response, the Belgian government informed the CPT of the progress of the work to adopt appropriate legislation and the conclusion of a political agreement with the social partners. 36. The report noted that, while prison staff generally seemed to be keen to maintain good relations with prisoners and be able to rapidly defuse any risk situations, there were credible allegations of recent physical ill-treatment of male prisoners by certain prison staff, including team leaders. In its response, the government referred to the follow-up to an allegation of ill-treatment by a member of the prison staff. In more general terms, follow-up of incidents was more systematic. The Belgian authorities Publication highlights ► Page 19