Police detention centres Regulations on the protection of nonsmokers The Federal Ministry of the Interior integrated all of the no smoking standards for the protection of non-smokers agreed by the working group in the new decree (see NPM Report 2017, p. 147). Restriction of opportunities for table visits Another important topic, which was discussed by the working group in detail, was the visiting modalities. The working group agreed that in future open visits should be the norm in police detention centres. The new decree deviates from this regulation, which was discussed in detail and jointly agreed with the Federal Ministry of the Interior (see NPM Report 2015, p. 122 et seq.). The NPM criticises this action by the Ministry sharply and condemns it with regard to the affected persons as a setback from the human rights perspective. In accordance with the decree of January 2018, table visits for detainees awaiting forced return and prisoners serving an administrative penalty should be enabled depending on the existing space situation in the respective police detention centre, provided there are no reasons to the contrary regarding the prisoner or the visitors. Supposed risks of table visits The decree of May 2019 stipulates that personnel resources for monitoring table visits should also be a condition for the same. After much painstaking correspondence, the Federal Ministry of the Interior recently communicated that the highest possible standard of safety and order cannot be guaranteed during table visits in the police detention centres. Table visits are therefore – as has been the case to date – only possible in Vordernberg detention centre. The Federal Ministry of the Interior pointed out that there is an increased risk with visits to prisoners who are suffering from addiction or display a mental disorder, as forbidden addictive substances, medication or syringes can be smuggled in. There is also the risk that prisoners are coerced by other prisoners into having themselves brought substances into the police detention centre at table visits. Furthermore, the close personal contact with visitors or relatives could trigger not only conflict but also impulsive assaults on visitors by prisoners in order to blackmail their way out of detention. This risk is prevalent among detainees awaiting forced return, for whom the detention situation poses an emotional strain. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, extensive personnel, organisational and structural measures are required in the larger police detention centres in particular, such as Hernalser Gürtel detention centre, in order to counter these risks. From a structural perspective, two completely separate visiting areas for table and security visits including an entrance and exit security gate for visitors with metal detector as well as a room for visits from accompanied children or minors would have to be created there. It would be necessary to increase the number of law enforcement officers deployed for security visits from two to between eight and eleven to operate and monitor table visits. Furthermore, the 153