104 Towards the Effective Protection of LGBTI Persons Deprived of Liberty Can detainees promptly notify relatives or other third parties about the fact of detention following arrest? Are narrow interpretations of who constitutes “next of kin” that prevent LGBT detainees from notifying the person of their choice, used? 2. Police detention Police stations are typically not intended or designed to hold detainees for periods longer than 24 to 48 hours, and are therefore not suitable for lengthy detention. Material conditions in most stations are basic, with the infrastructure limited to a bare minimum. Police detention quarters and cells should nevertheless have natural light and ventilation, and detainees should be provided with mattresses and blankets if they spend a night or more in a police cell. If there are no toilets in the cell, access should be otherwise provided without any delays. Toilet facilities should be in decent conditions and detainees ought to be provided with adequate means to wash themselves. Drinking water should be made available at all times and food, including at least one hot meal per day, should be offered at appropriate times. If police detention lasts for more than 24 hours, outside exercise should be offered on a daily basis. The size and configuration of police stations vary significantly, and the detention area can range from single occupancy cells to large quarters comprised of many cells, either collective or individual. In collective cells, LGBTI persons face a risk of violence from fellow detainees, even when custody is limited to 24 hours. Trans women are particularly exposed to violence if they have to share a cell with men. As in prisons, trans women risk being held in collective cells on the basis of the sex assigned at birth, without consideration being given to their self-identified gender. If release from detention is not possible, single occupancy cells are therefore preferred for trans women. Police stations, including the detention areas, are sometimes equipped with CCTV. Monitoring bodies should be aware that areas not covered by CCTV might be precisely where abuse are more likely to occur. Police stations are sometimes used to house detainees for much longer periods than the maximum duration contemplated by natio-