30
THE GREEK OMBUDSMAN
provision of medication, long waits and self-injuries. Closer cooperation with
the local Bar Association or Non-Governmental Organisations with related
activity is also proposed, with the aim of ensuring the regular provision of
legal notification and counselling, as well as investigation, in cooperation
with the public prosecutor, of the temporary release system, safeguarding
of visits in terms of persons entitled to visits by law, and the frequency of
injuries and self-injuries.
It would also be useful to promote actions such as the creation of friendly
and stimulating public spaces, enhancement and systematisation of leisure
activities, enrichment of prison libraries with books suitable for young inmates and in languages understandable by them, while also guaranteeing
access to the library.
Finally, we propose the introduction of training programmes that would improve the daily life of detainees and facilitate their reintegration after release,
as well as their involvement in building maintenance and improvement of the
premises, with their views and proposals regarding potential improvements
to facilities taken into consideration.
ii. Kos Detention Facility
This prison was designed as a low-capacity detention facility to meet the
needs of the Dodecanese Islands. However, during our visit the number of
detainees far exceeded capacity. It consists of three dormitories (multi occupancy cells), accommodating about 30 persons per dormitory in a very
dense bed layout of two-levels, resulting in a very small living space, while
inmates who did not have a bed slept on mattresses in the loft of the dormitory or on the floor.
There is also a total lack of social service and psychological support for the
detainees. The duties of physician, psychologist and social services seem
to have been taken on personally by the prison’s director. More indicative
of the quasi-abandonment of the Kos detention facility is that the recent
vacancy notice for prison personnel of the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP) provides posts exclusively for guard staff and not
for other specialisations.
In addition, due to the geographical location of the facility, important needs
of prisoners, such as communication with their relatives, are becoming more
difficult, so that the possibility of providing equipment or funds for the operation of an electronic visit via skype should be considered.
iii. Grevena Detention Facility
In this prison there is a specially designed children's play area. The space is
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