ensure inflow of fresh air. The Chancellor cannot accept such practice in case of police facilities
that have been built only recently. In addition, the inspection visit to Jõgeva cellblock revealed
that that new police building did not have a telephone intended for use by detainees or a special
room for short-term visits. Cells in both Kuressaare and Jõgeva cellblocks have relatively small
windows, and therefore natural lighting in cells is modest.
The Chancellor is also concerned that not all the legally established requirements are taken into
account when designing new police buildings and, therefore, some of the lawful rights of
detainees cannot be exercised or are ensured only to a limited extent. The Chancellor submitted
his opinion also to the PBGB and, according to the information available to the Chancellor, the
PBGB has drawn up documents for designing police buildings in the future, so as to comply
with the legally established requirements for rooms intended for the detention of individuals.
While in the previous years the Chancellor found shortcomings in drawing up documents in
relation to detained persons (e.g. keeping record of explaining to individuals their rights and
duties or notifying their next of kin), in 2014 no systematic infringements were found upon
inspection of the documents. Rather, the shortcomings or inaccuracies that were found were
isolated, which allows for a conclusion that keeping documentary records with regard to
detained persons has improved.
1.2. Short-term detention
In addition to police facilities where individuals are detained for longer periods, the Chancellor
also inspected short-term detention facilities in the area of administration of the police in 2014.
According to the Chancellor’s definition, short-term detention facilities are rooms where
persons are held for up to 48 hours (cells in constable points, border crossing points, border
patrol stations, etc). The aim of inspection visits to buildings with such cells is first and foremost
to examine the cells intended for short-term detention and establish the average period of stay
in such cells.
In 2014, unannounced inspection visits were carried out to the following police buildings of the
West and South prefectures of the PBGB where individuals are detained or may be detained for
short periods:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
Audru constable point;
Häädemeeste constable point;
Kilingi-Nõmme constable point;
Märjamaa constable point;
Pärnu-Jaagupi constable point;
Sindi constable point;
Karksi constable point;
Tõrva constable point.
During the inspection visits, no detained persons were staying in the inspected cells. Taking
into account the detention conditions in the above constable points in aggregate, as well as the
frequency and duration of detaining individuals in them, the Chancellor did not find any
significant shortcomings in abstract with regard to the fundamental rights of individuals.
Therefore, the Chancellor did not make any recommendations or proposals to the PBGB based
on the inspection visits.
16
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents