The visit conducted to the Lakatamia Detention Centre on 31 July 2015 was
the fourth visit of the NPM to the said place. However, it was the first visit
conducted in collaboration with the Independent Mechanism for the
Promotion, Protection and Monitoring of the UN Convention on the Rights of
Persons with Disabilities.
Given the fact that the said Detention Centre has two cells which, according
to the Police, are suitable for the detention of people with disabilities, it
was considered appropriate that the two Mechanisms conduct an on-site
joint visit in order to closely examine any issued that may arise.
Therefore, during the said visit, emphasis was given on recording the
conditions of detention within these two cells, as well as the conditions of
the detention centre in general regarding safeguarding the rights of people
with disabilities during detention.
In addition to this, the aim of the said visit was to ascertain whether any
improvements in the conditions of detention to safeguard the rights of
detainees in relation to the extent to which the NMP recommendations set
out in previous Reports2 have been implemented.
The Commissioner's main position is that the Lakatamia Detention Centre is
incompatible with the basic principles on the treatment of detainees and
the international standards that must be met by every place where people
are deprived of their liberty.
In particular, the Commissioner noted that the lack of natural ventilation
and of an outdoor exercise area make this place completely unsuitable for
the detention of people, especially for a long period of time.
2
Report File No. NPM 2.06 of 6 December 2011
9