4. In April, the CPT announced its programme of periodic visits for the following year, in line with standard practice. The following eight countries were chosen for visits during which the CPT would examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty in 2019: Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Greece, Iceland, Ireland and North Macedonia. Ad hoc visits 5. In the course of 2018, the CPT carried out ad hoc visits to Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. 6. The objective of the visit to Bulgaria in December was to examine the treatment and conditions of detention of foreign nationals detained under aliens legislation. To this end, the CPT’s delegation visited Border Police detention facilities in Elhovo, Sofia Airport and Svilengrad (Kapitan Andreevo) and carried out follow-up visits to the Special Homes for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners in Busmantsi and Lyubimets. In Busmantsi, the delegation also paid a visit to the Closed-Type Premises run by the State Agency for Refugees. 7. The objective of the visit to France in November was to examine the treatment of detention of persons deprived of their liberty under immigration and asylum law and the conditions in which those persons were detained or held. To this end, the CPT’s delegation visited several administrative detention centres across France as well as waiting zones at Marseille-Le Canet and at Marseilles, Paris-Orly and Roissy Charles de Gaulle airports. 8. A return flight from Munich to Kabul (Afghanistan), coordinated by Frontex, was monitored by a CPT delegation during the ad hoc visit to Germany in August. The delegation also observed preparations for the return flight, notably at Eichstätt Prison (Centre for detention pending deportation), including the transfer of returnees to the airport by the Bavarian State Police and the hand-over to the Federal Police authorities in charge of the boarding procedures. 9. The purpose of the visit to Greece in April was two-fold: firstly, to examine the situation of foreign nationals deprived of their liberty under aliens’ legislation and to determine whether their situation since the previous visits in 2016 had improved, and secondly to look into the situation of civil and forensic patients in psychiatric establishments in the Attica area. It was the first time since 2005 that psychiatric establishments in Greece had been visited by the CPT. 10. The main objective of the visit to Lithuania in April was to examine the progress made as regards the implementation of previous CPT recommendations concerning conditions of detention in penitentiary establishments. To this end, the delegation visited several correction homes as well as Lukiškės Remand Prison and Pravieniškės Prison Hospital. Page 10 ►General Report of the CPT, 2018