Baggage is to be deposited in a specific place; access to this place is always by agreement and
under the control of a police officer; access times vary according to the centre inspected from 2
to 4 hours per day. Provision is made for cash to be deposited in a safe.
In all centres, internal regulations require detainees to hand in any sharp or blunt
instrument and more generally any object which "threatens the security of the centre".
A second chapter entitled "daily life" guarantees that a bed will be provided and basic
essentials (bedclothes, health products); in particular it deals with the organisation of the
premises, the times for distributing meals, the conditions for accessing telephones, it being
specified that portable telephones with photographic attachments are prohibited. Exercise times
and conditions for access to the various areas situated outside of the accommodation area are not
set out in detail.
In the "daily life" chapter, regulations in some centres provide for a
"shaving kit" to be provided every morning to male detainees which
indirectly may be interpreted as a prohibition on having such objects.
In this chapter provision is made that in the event of absolute need, a foreign national
may ask the OFII to purchase consumable goods upon condition "that they are not incompatible
with administrative measures then being carried out".
This chapter also contains a provision enabling the centre manager to isolate a person in
the event of public order problems or threat to the security of detainees.
A third chapter is entitled "health and social provisions". It defines the role of the
OFII specifying that it may respond to any question relating to life at the centre and organisation
for departure and that it is authorised to carry out procedures for detainees, in particular
recovering baggage or closing a bank account.
In addition to this definition, this chapter limits itself to setting out the access times to the
medical department and to the OFII. These access times vary by institution; some provide for
daily access including Sundays and public holidays. Conditions of access however are not defined.
This chapter provides that the distribution of possible medical treatment is the
responsibility of the medical staff.
A last chapter, entitled “specific rights and legal procedures” covers the rights of
detainees. Internal regulations guarantee detainees the right to apply to the courts and also give
assurances of providing information as soon as possible in the event of being convened by a
court. They set out hours of access to the association with which the State has signed an
agreement under Article R. 553-4 of the CESEDA (legal aid). In practice, these hours of access
vary according to the approved body but are generally limited to weekdays (from Monday to
Friday).
Visits are always possible. Visits are possible at any time for consular authorities,
interpreters and lawyers. For other persons, stretches of a number of hours are provided for,
each day, morning and afternoon the length of which varies centre by centre. Except for consular
authorities, internal regulations provide that visitors are subject to security measures (checkpoint
security).
Finally, internal regulations provide that foreign nationals are to be advised as soon as
possible by the centre administration of organisation relating to travel in the context of
deportation procedures.
Overall it is essentially the efficiency of the deportation process and not personal
autonomy which is guaranteed by the internal regulations through an organisation of life based
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