A/HRC/19/61/Add.1 40. Also in the context of these demonstrations, the Special Rapporteur heard direct victim testimony about the arbitrary arrest and beatings of a group of young people that included more than 20 minors. Together with about 46 adults, they were arbitrarily detained and taken to a detention centre without any access to a lawyer or notification to their families; they were set free at 4 a.m. in one of the most dangerous areas of Tunis. During about 12 hours of detention, detention officers forced them to kneel and remain in uncomfortable positions. The forensic examination of one of the young men was consistent with the allegation of being beaten by several policemen. 3. Conditions in places of detention (a) Prisons 41. The Special Rapporteur received reports that, with an average prison population of 26,000 prisoners,6 prisons and other places of detention have been heavily overcrowded. While the recent general amnesty, conditional releases and a presidential pardon considerably reduced the size of the prison population, the destruction of several prisons during the revolution has reportedly contributed to continued overcrowding. 42. The Special Rapporteur observed that the conditions of prisons and detention centres visited varied from adequate to unsatisfactory. Some areas of concern were unhygienic conditions, including insufficient sanitation, the presence of bedbugs and other pests, poor ventilation and lighting, and overcrowding. The Special Rapporteur heard complaints about the irregular provision of adequate food and water, a lack of privacy and insufficient family visits. 43. Medical centres existed; however, it seemed they were not always accessible to detainees upon request, due to a shortage of doctors. While doctors were on duty in two prisons visited, the Special Rapporteur heard allegations that detainees sometimes had to wait weeks for an appointment. In the establishments visited, the Special Rapporteur detected dreadful oral hygiene, with multiple and significant dental problems requiring urgent treatment. The accompanying forensic expert did not detect situations of detainees with infectious contagious diseases, such as tuberculosis. 44. The Kasserine prison was composed of a large compound with several large dormitory cells that have natural light and a fresh air supply through an iron grid. One of the cellblocks was overcrowded, housing about 70 detainees in three rows of beds, with very little space to move between the rows, although it seemed well maintained. The Special Rapporteur notes that the prison provides no separation of convicted and pretrial detainees. The prison allegedly held no minors at the time of the visit. The cells included a shower, toilet and sink. In most cases, toilets in cells were open and did not allow for privacy. According to the prison director, the Kasserine civilian prison accommodated 277 prisoners; of these, nine were women, 176 had been convicted and the rest were awaiting trial. 45. The Bourj al-Roumi prison in Bizerte, the oldest prison in Tunisia, was divided into two wings: one old and one new, each housing 450 detainees. During the revolution, detainees took control of the detention facility for several weeks; as a result, the main part of the prison was destroyed. Medical facilities were also affected. Of 32 cells, only 7 were operational at the time of the visit. The cells included a shower, an open toilet and a sink in a deplorable hygienic state. The poor kitchen conditions clearly affect hygiene. The cells 6 10 Number in penal institutions, including pretrial detainees. International Centre for Prison Studies, World Prison Brief: Tunisia, available from www.prisonstudies.org/info/worldbrief/wpb_country.php?country=50. The brief cites figures provided by the Ministry of Justice of Tunisia, as at January 2011.