Regarding the exercise of religious practices, the director reports that the organisation of
collective religious practices previously performed in radicalisation prevention units (UPR) has been
changed to individual practices within the radicalisation assessment wing, not least owing to pressure
and proselytism by certain prisoners over others.
The director also informs the CGLPL that when a prisoner arrives in the radicalisation
assessment wing, the obligatory new arrival plan is set in motion, which includes attending a medical
examination. However, unlike the conventional new arrivals' plan, this medical examination is held in
a room in the radicalisation assessment wing. The director confirms that, with the healthcare
professionals' agreement, a warder attends this medical checkup on the grounds that no precise
assessment of the danger posed by the prisoner to the prison and people has yet been conducted and
that "even though this procedure is not exactly compliant with the provisions of Article 45 of the
Prison Act, it is justified by the serious risk for the safety, and particularly physical integrity, of the
nursing staff". In the context of medical surveillance, the prisoner is transferred to the health block
sector escorted by an official, who in principle remains outside the appointment room "unless the
prisoner presents a hetero-aggressive risk". The CGLPL condemns this manifest breach of the
medical confidentiality of the new arrival in the radicalisation assessment wing and recommends that
measures be taken to guarantee confidential communication between the prisoner and physician.
3.3.2 The ban on prisoners serving sentences for terrorist offences at Fleury-Mérogis
remand prison working or doing vocational training
The CGLPL's attention has also been drawn to the general instructions issued by the management of
Fleury-Mérogis remand prison according to which prisoners serving sentences for terrorist offences
may not work or do vocational training for reasons associated with the security of the institution and
staff.
The individual cases brought to the CGLPL's attention reveal the difficulties that the prisoners
to whom this out-right ban applies encounter on a daily basis. As such, one prisoner, recognised as
being indigent and receiving no visits from his family who lived abroad, had spent several months
asking to be selected for a job, in vain, even though he had received permission to work from the
judge examining his file. Another prisoner was selected on the main labour list only to be demoted
from his job on account of charges being presented against him for a terrorism-related offence.
The general instructions issued by the management of the remand prison prevent a whole
category of prisoners from being able to work or do vocational training, with no individual
consideration or assessment of their family situation and, what is more, at stark odds with the
reintegration purpose served by professional activity in detention.
Given that they amount, for all of these prisoners, to a violation of their right to access a
professional activity, on 12 December 2017 the CGLPL contacted the prison administration director
for his comments on this situation in breach of the fundamental rights of the prisoners concerned.
4. On-site verifications
Pursuant to the second paragraph of Article 6-1 of the amended Act dated 30 October 2007
establishing the Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté (Chief Inspector of places of
deprivation of liberty), "Where the facts or the situation brought to his attention fall within his
jurisdiction, the Chief Inspector of places of deprivation of liberty may carry out inspections, where
necessary, on-site". The on-site verifications are conducted by the inspectors in charge of the referred
cases. Inspectors in charge of missions sometimes also take part in on-site verifications, in particular
when specific needs are involved (e.g.: verifications requiring the presence of a physician).
92
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents