3. HELLENIC POLICE AND COAST GUARD
DETENTION FACILITIES
3.a. Special issues that emerged in 2019
The 2019 NPM inspection reiterates its solid position that the use of police station
cells for other purposes than criminal detention, such as long-term administrative
detention, aggravates existing problems namely the absence of out-of-cell time, the
lack of security, limited space and insufficient cleaning services.
A new problem that has emerged involved ambiguities and overlapping in
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competences regarding organizational issues but also issues of detainees' status
and protection.33
3.b. Remarks on inspected police station cells
3.b.1 Omonoia Police Station and Security Department
The police station has four cells with overall capacity for 26 persons. On the day of
the inspection 19 men were held, all of whom were third-country nationals under
administrative detention. The average maximum time of detention was two months
but it usually did not surpass one month. Administrative detainees were not held
separately from criminal detainees. After a complete reconstruction that began on
December 2017, cells began to operate anew in October 2018. There was a guard
available but he remained at the office of the officer on-duty on the top floor.
Detainees used hand signs to communicate with the guard via a security camera. A
common hallway that allowed detainees to move around was located in front of the
cells.
The lighting was insufficient as only two cells had small windows and the available
electric lamps did not provide enough light. In the toilet and shower area and in all
other spaces, sanitation conditions were fairly poor, because detainees were forced
to clean those spaces themselves as there were no cleaning services. The police
station had no yard area. Security cameras were placed in the entrance and hallways
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The case with the competence regarding the cleaning services contracts of the Athens
Transfers Department
33
This is the case of the Omonoia Police Station in Athens, where the responsibility for those
brought in or arrested belonged to the special squads or operational units that had made the
arrest or brought them in.
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