A/HRC/16/52/Add.4
interpreter (a police officer assisted with interpretation). After another few days in the
police cell, she was brought by boat to Athens and then transferred to Korydallos Prison.
A female detainee, from Brazil, had been waiting one year in pre-trial detention. She had
not seen a lawyer as it was too expensive. She said that there were vaginal searches done
when one first entered the prison and whenever they exit the prison and return, i.e. visit the
hospital. These were done by a male doctor with a female nurse present. The guards
imposed disciplinary measures if one refused to sign the consent form for this search. The
guards did not sexually or physically abuse the detainees, as most were female guards.
A female detainee, aged 40, from Romania, had been detained in pre-trial for 6 months.
Since she could not pay bail she had to wait for her trial up to 18 months in remand. There
were 60 Romanians being held in the facility. Most women were held in large chambers
with 15-18 people and a few people shared small cells. She had epilepsy and no medication.
A female detainee, from Ghana, had received an 80-year sentence for trafficking 6 kilos of
hashish. She had served 7 years of her sentence so far. Many women were serving
sentences for drug possession of or drug abuse. She was HIV positive so she had her own
room. There were two women who were HIV positive. She was able to see a doctor when
needed. There were 4 showers on the entire floor shared by more than 150 people. Many of
the windows were not able to close and there were large drafts so very cold in winter. They
ate the food in the cells with their hands. They had to buy everything themselves - soap,
food and clothes.
A.M., aged 41 and other female detainees, had not been ill-treated upon arrest or in
detention. However, detainees coming back from day paroles are routinely subjected to
vaginal searches. They complained about the conditions of detention. They were not given
enough cleaning agent to keep their cells clean. As a result there were many cockroaches.
They were not given sufficient sanitary products such as toilet paper and soap and had to
buy it mostly themselves. There was only warm water for one hour every evening, creating
fights among the detainees. The cells were very cold, the windows not isolated and some
panes broken. They have complained about the quality of the food and that they are always
given rice or pasta. The medical treatment was very poor. The doctors would not really
listen to the complaints of the detainees but usually just give sleeping pills and psychotropic
drugs. Some detainees were separated from their children and could not see them regularly.
The detainees were not allowed to bring their belongings from home but had to buy all
things including clothes and bed sheets new. Detainees without any financial means were
very disadvantaged. They have complained about the arbitrary treatment by the prison
officials who sometimes refuse to buy things for prisoners without any reason. The poor
conditions created much frustration among the detainees and many have been cutting
themselves.
K.A., a Greek Roma, complained about racial discrimination by the prison officials. She
could not receive visitors from abroad. Her minor son was very sick and she could not visit
him. Her brother had recently died and she was prevented from going to his funeral.
T.P., aged 28, from Poland, was detained for 3 months. She had a young child with a Greek
man she is not married to. She was about to be sent to a prison to Poland against her will.
She was afraid of being permanently separated from her child.
A female detainee, from Russia, was subjected to strip searches when returning from
visiting her husband in the male prison. She complained that she had no possibility to carry
illegal object with her coming from one prison to another.
A female detainee, from Germany, stated that non-Greeks were discriminated against by
the prison officials. She also complained about the smell from the drainage that was not
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