at the Avlona Special Detention Facility to continue unchecked. The report notes that the CPT’s delegation had requested at the end of the visit that the juveniles be transferred to a safe environment, which the Greek authorities had subsequently arranged. The response of the Greek authorities provides information on the action being taken to address overcrowding through increasing the capacity in the prison estate and through early release measures, for which all prisoners including foreign nationals are eligible, as well as the introduction of house arrest and expansion of community service. The Greek authorities reject the CPT’s fndings that the prisons are understafed and that staf are not in a position to maintain efective control. On the other hand, they accept the shortcomings in the provision of health care in prisons and hope that new legislative acts providing for agreements with the National Health System will lead to improvements. 61. The report states that a great number of detailed coherent and consistent allegations of physical ill-treatment of persons by police ofcers were received. The allegations concerned mainly kicks, slaps, punches and blows with batons and other objects upon or after apprehension. Several cases are cited in the report. Further, the CPT notes the faws in the current system of investigations into allegations of ill-treatment notably as regards the lack of promptness and thoroughness in carrying out investigations. It recommends that the mandate of the Ofce on Arbitrary Incidents be reviewed in order to ensure its independence and to strengthen its investigative and oversight capabilities. Recommendations are also made regarding the recruitment and training of police ofcers and on improving the application of safeguards against ill-treatment such as access to a lawyer, access to a doctor and improving the conduct of interrogations. In their response, the Greek authorities highlight the strict criteria in place for the recruitment of police ofcers and refer to the training provided. They also state that the investigations into the cases raised by the CPT are ongoing. Information is provided on the various measures being taken to address racist or xenophobic violence and on the safeguards surrounding the detention of all persons apprehended by the police. Report and response published in October 2014, CPT/Inf (2014) 26 and CPT/Inf (2014) 27 Report on the periodic visit to Hungary in April 2013 and response of the Hungarian authorities (police custody and imprisonment including pre-trial detention and long prison sentences) 62. The CPT received several complaints about excessive use of force by police ofcers at the time of apprehension and ill-treatment during police questioning (slaps, punches, kicks, kneeing and blows with batons). Moreover, the Committee’s delegation heard some accounts of verbal abuse, including of a racist nature, by police ofcers. The report also refers to a case of police ill-treatment which reportedly took place at Izsák Police Station (Bács-Kiskun County) on 8 April 2013 and which may well have led to the death of the detained person. In their response, the Hungarian authorities indicate that criminal proceedings concerning this case are pending. During the visit, a number of remand prisoners were being held in police detention facilities, sometimes for Publication highlights ► Page 31