CAT/OP/CYP/1 concerned that some of those legal guarantees are not given full effect in practice. Moreover, as observed by the Committee against Torture (see CAT/C/CYP/CO/4, para. 7), persons deprived of their liberty are in practice not provided with all the rights stipulated in the law. Thus, although the law provides that detainees have the right to contact a lawyer and relatives immediately after the arrest, the Subcommittee notes that that does not actually happen. Likewise, it notes that the grounds on which third party notification can be delayed for up to 12 hours appears to be invoked more frequently than is justifiable. 12. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party ensure that the grounds on which a third party notification can be postponed for up to 12 hours are only invoked in exceptional situations and that postponements are justified. 13. The State party guarantees free legal aid to persons without sufficient means. The Subcommittee understands that for free legal assistance to be provided a court decision is required, which means that such assistance is often not available during the critical periods of initial detention and interrogation or during initial court hearings. Furthermore, domestic law contains safeguards for arrested or detained persons, including the right to be informed promptly of their rights in a language that they understand. 1 However, the Subcommittee notes that detainees are not systematically notified of their rights in a language or in a manner they understand. 14. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party establish, as a matter of priority, an effective and expeditious system for providing free legal aid from the start of detention. In addition, the State party should ensure that all detained persons are informed, both orally and in writing, of their rights in a language that they understand, of legal remedies and of how to challenge the lawfulness of their detention. 15. The Subcommittee notes that initial medical checks are done at some police stations. However, during its visit the Subcommittee learned that detainees did not systematically undergo medical screenings 2 and that such screenings were not carried out with the thoroughness envisioned in the Manual on the Effective Investigation and Documentation of Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the Istanbul Protocol). Consequently, not all allegations of torture and ill-treatment could be effectively investigated. 16. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party ensure that detainees undergo systematic medical screening and that, when they are necessary, such screenings be carried out in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol. In particular, the Subcommittee recommends that all allegations or complaints of torture and illtreatment be communicated to the appropriate authorities promptly and impartially and that they be effectively investigated, in accordance with article 12 in the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. It further recommends that the regulations applicable to all places of detention take account of the Istanbul Protocol and that they be effectively communicated to detainees and others involved in their implementation. The Subcommittee further recommends that the State party provide appropriate training to medical and legal staff on the use of the Istanbul Protocol. B. Police detention 1. General issues 17. The Subcommittee commends the State party for the relatively good physical conditions in most police facilities visited. A notable exception, however, is the police station at Limassol, which is in urgent need of renovation. 18. The legislative framework guarantees, for those in pretrial detention, the right to be charged promptly or to be released. The Subcommittee notes that many detainees spend 1 2 4 Cyprus, Law Providing for the Rights of Persons Arrested and in Custody, Law No. 163 (I) of 2005, part I (rights in connection with arrests), para. 3 (3). Ibid., part II (rights during detention), para. 27.