CAT/OP/CYP/1 long periods in police detention while on remand. In addition to being inappropriate, that situation is made worse by the physical conditions of such facilities, which are unsuited for extended stays, and, in particular, by the lack of recreational activities. The Subcommittee is also concerned about the seemingly near-automatic renewal of court orders extending periods of detention on remand. The Subcommittee believes that the periods of detention on remand are too often prolonged. 19. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party review its laws and practices to reduce the length of pretrial detention and reminds the State party that police stations should not be used as places of detention for extended periods of time, as set out in the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Non-custodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules). Should it be necessary to use police facilities for short periods, appropriate arrangements should be made for adequate out-of-cell time and recreational activities. In all instances of lengthy periods of pretrial detention, which should not be served in police facilities, the Subcommittee recommends that detainees be kept in remand centres providing appropriate social and recreational services and out-of-cell activities. 20. During its visit, the Subcommittee observed that individual detainee files and registers were not kept using a standardized file management system and that parts of the registers were computerized while others were in written form, which made it very difficult to trace the history and status of detainees within the system. The Subcommittee also observed that, in several cases, medical information was kept in general files instead of in separate, confidential files. The Subcommittee recalls that the maintenance of complete and reliable records of persons deprived of their liberty is one of the fundamental safeguards against torture and ill-treatment, and is an essential condition for the effective exercise of due process guarantees, such as the right of detainees to be promptly brought before a judge and the right to challenge the legality of detention. The Subcommittee is concerned that, although most of the required details are recorded, there is a lack of uniformity, with practices varying greatly among police stations. 21. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party ensure that its registration and filing systems concerning detainees is standardized and that medical information is kept separately and in a confidential place. Information related to a particular person in detention should be traceable and include: (a) The exact date and time of apprehension; (b) The exact time of arrival at the facility; (c) The reasons for the arrest; (d) The authority ordering the arrest; (e) The identity of the arresting officer or officers; (f) The date and time of and the reasons for a detainee’s transfer or release; (g) The precise information about where the person was held during the whole period of detention (e.g. cell number); (h) The date, time and identity of the person notified of the detention, including the signature of the officer who processed the notification; (i) The date and time of a family visit; (j) The date and time of the request for a meeting with a lawyer and the date and time of that meeting; (k) The date and time of the request for a visit of a health professional and the date and time of that visit; (l) The date and time of the detained person’s first appearance before a judicial or other authority. 22. Police and custodial officers should be properly trained in the maintenance of registers and should enter the information promptly, from the moment of arrival of 5