17Jun11

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Council of Europe anti-torture Committee visits Spain

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Strasbourg, 17.06.2011 - A delegation of the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) recently carried out a two-week visit to Spain. The visit, which began on 31 May 2011, was the CPT's sixth periodic visit to that country.

During the visit, the CPT's delegation reviewed the treatment of persons detained by various police services (including the Policía Nacional, the Guardia Civil, the Ertzaintza and the Mossos d'Esquadra). Particular attention was given to the application in practice of safeguards against ill-treatment and the situation of persons held in "incommunicado" detention. The delegation also visited a number of prisons, focusing on various categories of prisoners, notably those in disciplinary segregation and in special departments. Further, the use of mechanical restraints in prisons was reassessed. The treatment of persons held in foreigner detention centres was also examined.

In the course of the visit, the CPT's delegation held consultations, at the central level, with the Secretary of State for Security, Antonio CAMACHO VIZCAINO, the President of the Audiencia Nacional, Angel JUANES PECES, the Prosecutor-General, Candido CONDE-PUMPIDO, the Director General of the National Police and Guardia Civil Francisco Javier VELAZQUEZ LOPEZ, and the Director General of Penitentiary Institutions, Mercedes GALLIZO LLAMAS. It also met with representatives of the General Council of the Judiciary of Spain.

In Catalonia, the delegation met with representatives of the Generalitat de Catalunya, notably the Conseller of the Interior, Felip PUIG I GODES, the Consellera of Justice, Pilar FERNÁNDEZ I BOZAL, the Director General of Prisons, Ramon PARÉS GALÉS, the Director General of Community Sanctions and Juvenile Justice, Quim CLAVAGUERA I VILLA, the Director General of the Mossos-d'Esquadra, Manel PRAT I PELÁEZ, and the Secretary General of the Department of Interior, Xavier GIBERT I ESPIER.

The delegation also met with the Catalan Ombudsman, Mr Rafael RIBO I MASSO, as well as with representatives of the Spanish and Basque Ombudsmen. Further, it held discussions with representatives of non-governmental organisations active in areas of concern to the CPT.

At the end of the visit, the delegation presented its preliminary observations to the Spanish authorities.

The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:

- Mauro PALMA, Head of delegation
- Marija DEFINIS-GOJANOVI
- Georg HØYER
- Celso MANATA
- Petros MICHAELIDES
- Arman VARDANYAN

They were supported by Hugh CHETWYND (Head of Division), and Christian LODA of the CPT's Secretariat, and assisted by Paolo CARLOTTO, Italy (expert).

The delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty:

Establishments under the Ministry of Interior of Spain

National Police

National Police Station, Cádiz
Central registry of detained persons, Moratalaz, Madrid
National Police Station, Moratalaz, Madrid
National Police Station, Puente de Vallecas, Madrid
National Police Station, Puerto de Santa María

Guardia Civil

Detention Unit of the Central Section of the Information Service, Jefatura, Calle Guzmán el Bueno, Madrid
Tres Cantos Station, Madrid
Las Rozas Station, Madrid

Prison establishments

Córdoba Prison
Madrid IV Prison (Navalcarnero)
Nanclares de la Oca Prison, Basque Country
Puerto III Prison Cadiz

* Madrid V Prison (Soto del Real) and Madrid II Prison (Alcalá-Meco - men) were visited exclusively for the purpose of interviewing specific prisoners

Foreigner detention centres

Aluche, Madrid
Zona Franca, Barcelona

Establishments under the Autonomous Regional Government of the Basque Country (Eusko Jaurlaritza)

- General Headquarters and Police Academy Arkaute, Basque Autonomous Police (Ertzaintza), Vitoria

Establishments under the Autonomous Regional Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya)

Department of Justice

- Penitentiary Centre Brians 1
- Penitentiary Centre Joves (Quatre Camins)
- Penitentiary Centre Lledoners
- Penitentiary Centre for men ("la Modelo"), Barcelona
- Alzina Educational Centre

Department of the Interior

Catalan Autonomous Police (Mossos d'Esquadra)

- Mossos d'Esquadra District Station « Les Corts », Barcelona
- Mossos d'Esquadra District Station Badalona, Barcelona
- Mossos d'Esquadra Juvenile Detention Centre, Ciutat de la Justícia, Barcelona
- Mossos d'Esquadra District Station, Granollers
- Mossos d'Esquadra District Station, l'Hospitalet

[Source: European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment of Punishment, 17Jun11]

HR in Spain

This document has been published on 07Jul11 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.