5.
Police detention facilities
The Chancellor inspected the cellblock of Viljandi police station in the South
Prefecture and the cellblock of Narva police station in the East Prefecture. The
Chancellor’s advisers also inspected buildings currently under construction for the
detention centre of the migration bureau of the information management and
procedural department of the Police and Border Guard Board.
The Chancellor asked that during construction of the new building for the
detention centre it should be kept in mind that this is neither a prison nor a police
detention centre. Keeping persons subject to expulsion and asylum seekers in a
building where living conditions and the environment are similar to a prison
should be avoided. The centre will have separate rooms for persons in need of
enhanced supervision. Persons with special needs (e.g. with a mobility disability)
must have equal accessibility to free-time and public areas and to the outdoors.
In the Chancellor’s opinion, to prevent and detect ill-treatment it is extremely
important to record as precisely as possible and maintain records of the health
condition of persons admitted to a cellblock. In Viljandi cellblock, external injuries
or their absence were sometimes recorded and sometimes not.
6.
Units of the Defence Forces
During the reporting period, two inspection visits were carried out to units of the
Defence Forces. The Chancellor did not identify any significant shortcomings in the
Logistics Battalion. After the inspection visit to the Navy, the Chancellor asked that
both active service members and conscripts on watchkeeping duty should not stay
in an environment posing a health hazard during repair and maintenance work on
ships.
7.
Maarjamaa Education College
The Chancellor inspected Emajõe Centre and Valgejõe Centre of Maarjamaa
Education College, which are educational institutions for pupils requiring special
educational measures due to behavioural problems or for pupils with emotional
and conduct disorders. Maarjamaa Education College also provides a 24-hour
special care service to minors under a court ruling.
The inspection revealed that Valgejõe Centre had problems with ensuring the
safety of children. Pupils said that they had experienced both mental and physical
violence from their peers. Children did not feel sufficient trust towards staff. The
staff of the centre mentioned that they would need clearer guidelines on how to
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