CAT/OP/POL/ROSP/1 recorded that are consistent with allegations of ill-treatment made by the prisoner concerned (or which, even in the absence of an allegation, are clearly indicative of illtreatment), the record is systematically brought to the attention of the competent prosecuting authorities, regardless of the wishes of the person concerned. The results of the examination should also be made available to the prisoner concerned and his or her lawyer. 108. In addition, the Subcommittee is concerned that methadone substitution therapy is only accessible as continuing treatment for those who were participating in such programmes before entering the prison. 109. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the provision of assistance to prisoners with drug-related problems, as part of a wider national drug prevention strategy. (g) Strip search 110. While noting that the two-step body search procedure is widely implemented in the prison system, the Subcommittee remains concerned at the extensive use of strip search, including cavity search, across the visited prisons of the State party. The Subcommittee is further concerned that in some prisons visitors, even infants, are routinely subjected to strip search. 111. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party limit to exceptional cases the practice of strip-searching persons deprived of liberty and visitors and ensure that, if such searches are carried out, the criteria of necessity, reasonableness and proportionality are met. In any case, with regard to visitors, body cavity searches should be avoided and should not be applied to children, in line with rule 60.2 of the Nelson Mandela Rules. (h) Complaint mechanisms 112. The Subcommittee notes that a range of complaints mechanisms and related information is available to inmates. However, there are numerous allegations of reprisals against inmates who addressed a complaint to the prison director, including for issues relating to basic needs, such as access to health care. With regard to the possibility to contact the ombudsperson or international or regional human rights mechanisms, in one penitentiary institution the delegation observed that the dedicated mailbox had been left unlocked and had clearly not been used for a long time as it was dusty. In one facility, inmates complained that there was no possibility to call the toll-free hotline of the ombudsperson, since they were only allowed to dial the numbers of already-designated family members and loved ones. 113. The Subcommittee recommends that the State party take measures to ensure that complaints are properly addressed and any allegations of reprisals against those submitting complaints are followed up. Inmates should be able to confidentially contact the ombudsperson, as well as international and regional human rights mechanisms, including the possibility to dial the ombudsperson institution hotline from any prison phone, without having to seek special permission. (i) Contact with the outside world 114. The Subcommittee observed that in the visited prisons, payphones were installed and inmates had the authorization to make a 5- or 10-minute phone call, provided that they had money to make the call; in some facilities, it was noted that there were specially equipped rooms for conversations over Skype. The Subcommittee is concerned, however, that for persons in pretrial detention, visits by family members and others, as well as phone calls, are only allowed with the express permission of the prosecutor. In practice, such permissions are rarely granted, resulting in the detainees’ isolation from the outside world. In addition, the Subcommittee is concerned that in some facilities inmates are not able to conduct their phone calls out of the earshot of prison officers. The Subcommittee also notes that, owing to difficulties in receiving money from their families abroad, foreign inmates experience even greater barriers to maintaining contact with the outside world, in particular during pretrial detention. 16

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