A/HRC/16/52/Add.4
Rodopi Police Station, Komotini
Visited on 13 October 2010
The Special Rapporteur was received by Commanding Officer Hristos Stamboulis, chief
of police station, and Lambros Tsiaras, chief of CID.
The police station provided for 4 cells with 14 detainees. The cells were said to be
frequently overcrowded due to overcrowded prisons refusing further tranfers. According to
the detainees, there were 32 detainees one week prior to the visit, according to the police
chief only 22. The head of the CID rejected any allegations of ill-treatment in the past
claiming that he was present during all interrogations relating to serious offences. He
claimed to not have received one allegation of ill-treatment during his past 10 years of
office. The cells were fairly clean and at the time of the visit the 14 detainees that were in
the facility had their own bed. The detainees had regular access to the toilets and showers
although reportedly there was only cold water and no soap. Some detainees were already
held at the police station for over two weeks without being able to leave the cells to
exercise.
Individual cases
Four Greek male detainees have been there for 3 weeks, 3, 5 and 6 days. They can go to
the toilet whenever they wish, but there is no hot water. Food is only provided once a day in
the afternoon, but families are not allowed to bring food. They can receive visits every day
except weekends from 5 to 7 pm for 10 to 15 minutes. They meet the visitors in the corridor
outside their cells. During arrest, people are usually beaten by the police. They do not wish
to complain out of fear of reprisals (new beatings or longer detention). Beatings also occur
during interrogation by the CID in the 3rd floor.
T.S.O. is for 67% mentally disabled from an accident and suffers from schizophrenia,
which is confirmed on his medical records and by the forensic expert. On Friday 8 October,
he came 5 minutes too late to his court hearing and was beaten and kicked by 3 or 4 police
officers. He still has fresh injuries on both legs and one finger from these beatings which
were examined by the forensic expert. He needs to be brought to a psychiatric hospital.
Engin Aptous Oglou, Greek citizen aged 38, grew up in Germany and speaks German
perfectly. In 2004, an arrest warrant was issued against him because he had injured
somebody. He served 7 months in remand detention in Augsburg and after his conviction
and sentence to 5 years and 3 months; he also served 10 months of his prison sentence in
Würzburg. Since his family lives in Xanthi, it was decided that he could serve the rest of his
sentence in Greece. On 28 May 2010 he was extradited to Greece and was sent on 1 June
from Athens directly to the Police Station of Komotini. Instead of being transferred to a
prison, he was forced to stay 18 weeks in the overcrowded police cell because the prisons
are too full and there are problems with his papers. Two days ago, there were still around
30 detainees kept there. In the third floor, the CID officers beat detainees frequently, as he
could witness during these months.
Hardid Bogdani, aged 25, from Albania, was arrested on 10 October 2010 at the train
station in Komotini while hiding behind a train wagon from 20 police officers who were
searching for escapees from Fylakio Migration Detention Centre. One of the police officers
hit him with the fist in the face more than twenty times. On his face, the detainee displayed
clear marks of the ring the officer was wearing on his hand. The wounds were confirmed by
the forensic expert to the mission. During transfer to Komotini Police Station, the detainee
was hit on the head and insulted by another officer. Upon arrival at the police station, he
complained about ill-treatment but his wounds were neither documented nor did he receive
medical treatment. He was not abused at the police station but complained about the
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