was a latrine, which did not appear to be working. Rubbish was strewn on the floor and there was a strong smell of urine and damp. Electricity cables were hanging from the ceiling but there was no electric light. Ventilation was inadequate, with air and natural light entering in insufficient amounts through six very small openings. The cell had a leak, and under it was placed the only mattress, which was soaked. At the time of the visit, the cell was empty. The SPT was told by police staff that the cell was sometimes occupied by up to five persons. 113.In police station No. 5 in Asunción, the cell measured approximately 2 x 6 m, with a latrine, separated by a wall, full of rubbish. The cell was very dirty and there was a strong smell of urine. The ventilation was inadequate and the cell was lacking in natural or artificial light. The walls were covered in graffiti. At the time of the visit, a detainee had been occupying the cell for two hours. 114.Police station No. 12 in Asunción had a cell measuring approximately 4 x 6.5 m, which at the time of the visit was occupied by three detainees, who said they had been ordered to clean the cell by a police officer moments after the arrival of the SPT at the police station. The cell smelled strongly of urine, and there was no toilet. The lighting was faulty. 115.The women’s police station in Asunción had the best maintained facilities of those visited by the SPT. The cell was large (approximately 9 x 5 m) and was clean, well-aired and had sufficient natural light. There was an adjoining area with three toilets, showers and washbasins, which were clean and well maintained. There were nine beds (although not all had mattresses), one table and chairs. At the time of the visit, there were 2 female detainees in the cell, but police staff told the SPT that the cell usually housed up to 15 women. One of the detainees interviewed said that they were very well treated and that police staff provided them with food, water, blankets, pillows and soap. 116.Police station No. 20 in Asunción had a cell measuring approximately 2 x 4 m, with a window measuring approximately 40 x 50 cm. The cell was damp and there was a distinct smell of urine. The walls were covered in graffiti, and spider webs and insects were in evidence. At the time of the visit there were no detainees, but police officers said that the cell usually housed three or four detainees. There were no toilets in the cell. Police staff told the SPT that there were three toilets (two with shower attached) that could be used by the detainees. 117.The cell in police station No. 9 in Asunción measured 3.5 x 4.5 m. It smelled distinctly of urine, had excrement stains on the walls and possessed no toilet. At the time of the visit, there were no detainees in the cell. According to police staff, the detainees were allowed to use the police staff toilet if they asked to do so. 118.In police station No. 1 in San Lorenzo, the SPT interviewed seven detainees, who shared a cell measuring approximately 4 x 5 m. The cell was overall very dirty, had graffiti on the walls and was poorly ventilated. At the time of the visit, it was very hot. The cell had a toilet, which was separated by a wall and, according to detainees, was functioning. One of the detainees interviewed said that as many as 20 people had been housed in the cell a few days previously. There were four mattresses on the floor, all of which were badly worn, and the remaining detainees had to sleep on the floor, sitting down. Yet, in a room next door there were four mattresses that were not being used. The SPT spoke with the police inspector in charge and asked him to let the detainees have the mattresses on humanitarian grounds. The inspector, who had kept the SPT waiting for over half an hour, refused the request without offering any reasonable explanation. 119.Police station No. 3 in Pedro Juan Caballero had a cell measuring 1 x 2 m, smelling strongly of urine. At the time of the visit, which took place at around 10 a.m., there was a detainee in the cell who had spent the night there. He said he had slept on the floor as the cell had no mattress. It also had no toilet and the detainee urinated against the wall. The floor of the cell was almost entirely soaked, which made it even more difficult for the detainee to find a place to rest. There was broken glass on the floor of the cell. 120.The cell at police station No. 8 in San Estanislao measured approximately 5 x 7 m, and at the time of the visit housed 11 detainees. According to the accounts heard, the same cell had held up to 25 detainees. The cell had three small recesses, designed to be used as toilets, but only one of them was functioning, and that was in a deplorably unhygienic state. It was very hot in the cell, despite there being two ceiling fans, and the smell from the toilets was nauseating. The mattresses and bedclothes were filthy and were insufficient for the number of detainees held there at the time. The SPT saw cockroaches and a great quantity of rubbish in the cell. The only furniture was a long plank, resting on supports, which served as a table, and tree-trunk sections used as stools. Despite the restricted space available to detainees, the cell served as a storage place for timber, which was piled up at the end of the cell and took up a great deal of space. 121.At police station No. 9 in Limpio, the conditions in the single cell there were slightly better than at the other police stations visited, with regard to ventilation and hygiene. Although the cell was small (1.7 x 3 m), the two detainees interviewed said that both the latrine and the shower were working. There was a mattress on the floor, which the detainees shared. There were no chairs or any other kind of furniture in the cell. 122.Generally speaking, the SPT observed a great difference between the physical state of the police facilities as a whole and conditions in the areas set aside for detainees. Most of the police stations visited are housed in municipal buildings in sound condition and the premises are spacious and acceptably clean. The space reserved for staff is not always very large, but it is decent. On the other hand, the areas set aside for detainees are invariably much smaller, dirty, damp, waterlogged, and in evident disrepair. At the same time, on various occasions (for example, at police station No. 9 in Asunción or No. 8 in San Estanislao) the SPT observed that there were areas that were roomy, well ventilated and free of damp which were unused or underused. 123.Staff at the police stations visited informed the SPT that minors held in detention did not share cells with adults but were held in offices or police station yards. On its visits to police stations, the SPT did not meet with any minors, but some detainees interviewed claimed to have shared a cell with them. (b)Food