- 10 12. Foreign nationals who have committed crimes are subject to judicial deportation, pursuant to Sections 74 and 99 of the Criminal Code. They may be deported either after having served their sentences in a Greek prison, or, if the sentence is suspended, immediately after the court decision. The delegation noted that once they have served their sentences, foreign nationals subject to judicial deportation are transferred to police custody, where they remain until their deportation. Such custody may continue for months. The CPT considers that an earlier preparation of the deportation procedure could and should be envisaged (by contacting the respective consular authorities well in advance), in order to reduce the time spent in police custody after a person has served his prison term. The Committee would like to receive the comments of the Greek authorities on this issue. 2. Torture and other forms of physical ill-treatment 13. The delegation which carried out the 1999 visit heard some allegations of physical illtreatment of foreign nationals at the time of their apprehension by police officers and/or during subsequent questioning. Further, at Omonia Police Station in Athens, several foreign nationals stated that they had been beaten by custodial staff; this had apparently happened when they had repeatedly asked to be allowed to go to the toilet. In the following cases, medical evidence consistent with allegations of recent physical abuse was found: - a person met by the delegation at Attica General Police Directorate alleged that, at the time of his arrest by the police a day earlier, he had received numerous truncheon blows to the body and head. Upon examination by a medical member of the delegation, the person concerned displayed: a haematoma on the right shoulder measuring 7 x 2 cm; a haematoma on the right upper arm measuring 10 x 2 cm; an excoriation on the right elbow measuring 2 x 1 cm; excoriations and haematomas on the right side of the thorax, measuring 2 x 2 cm; a blue haematoma on the right lumbar region measuring 2 x 3 cm; an oedema and excoriation measuring 2 x 3 cm on the back of the head (oxcipitum). All the lesions were fresh, about a day old; - - another person met at Attica General Police Directorate alleged that on the previous day, he had been hit on various parts of the body by police officers who came to arrest him at his home. An examination by a medical member of the delegation revealed: a brownish-red excoriation of the nose, 1 x 1 cm, with oedema; excoriations and haematoma on the posterior side of the thorax, 2 x 1 cm. The injuries were fresh, about a day old. The person concerned also complained of pain in the right ribs region; a person interviewed by the delegation in the Police Station at Athens Airport (East Terminal) alleged that, following his arrest at the airport ten days previously, he had been handcuffed, and subsequently kicked in the legs and hit with fists over the body by police officers who questioned him. A medical examination revealed: in the left lumbar region, a haematoma measuring 3 x 1 cm, yellowish-green in colour; horizontal excoriations on the right leg beneath the knee, 2 cm long and brown in colour.