CAT/OP/SWE/1/Add.1 page 5 by the police (Chapter 23, Section 10 of the Code of Judicial Procedure). In light of the above, Sweden maintains that the framework ensures that suspects enjoy a right to public defence counsel at as early a stage as is reasonable. Access to Interpretation 13. The SPT refers to a recent report from the National Council for Crime Prevention (Brottsförebyggande rådet), in which the lack of adequate interpretation is stated as one of the major reasons why individuals of foreign origin do not enjoy equal procedural rights. The right to free assistance from an interpreter is indeed of importance in order for such individuals to enjoy equal procedural rights and the issue is considered on a regular basis within the Ministry of Justice and government agencies concerned. 14. However, it should be noted that the report from the National Council for Crime Prevention can not be used as a specific basis for assessing the quantity and quality of access to interpretation during police questioning and court proceedings. In our opinion, the report can be used as a basis for exemplifying the ways in which individuals from a foreign background experience discrimination during the process of law, e.g. in relation to situations where interpretation is necessary. Consequently, the report should not be used to draw conclusions as to the existence of a quantitative or qualitative lack of interpretation within the Swedish justice system. 15. Recommendations 4-11 have been taken into consideration by the Government through communication with the national police organisation and will be further discussed through regular dialogue with the police. III. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED IN SECTION C – REMAND PRISONS 16. In order to provide information on the legal rights and obligations associated with detention, the Prison and Probation Service is in the process of writing a paper which will be translated into several different languages. This paper will be given to all detainees upon arrival at a remand prison. 17. The Prison and Probation Service, together with the Swedish judicial authorities, is in the process of creating a new digital database with the aim of improving the possibilities for the authorities to obtain relevant information at any time during the legal process i.e. starting with a reported crime. 18. Prison and remand prison inmates have the same right to health and medical care as any other citizen in the country. Since it is safer to bring a doctor to a correctional facility or prison than to allow the inmates to travel to the nearest medical centre/hospital, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service has chosen to employ its own nurses and use its own consulting physicians. This primarily means general physicians, but since such a large percentage of inmates have various kinds of mental disorders or addictions, a number of psychiatrists are also needed. 19. All detainees are screened upon arrival in a remand prison. The screening form includes health questions such as current use of medication, diseases etc. This routine is used in order to enable the staff to spot serious illness or risk of suicide etc, and to provide the detainee with medical treatment as soon as possible. 20. During 2008 the Swedish Prison and Probation Service has taken many and extensive measures to improve suicide prevention and to deal with acute illnesses seen in prison inmates.

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