- 24 50. The CPT’s delegation learned that at Korydallos Women’s Remand Prison vaginal searches of female prisoners, who were suspected of smuggling drugs into the prison, had in theory not been performed since May 2010. However, the delegation received at least two allegations from women inmates that they had been subjected to a vaginal as recently as December 2010. At Thiva Women’s Prison, vaginal searches were on occasion still performed on female prisoners by a visiting gynaecologist (who was also the general practitioner as Korydallos Women’s Remand Prison) but the information provided to the delegation as to the frequency and conduct of such examinations was not clear. If a prisoner refuses a vaginal search, she will be transferred to the segregation unit for several days where she will be placed under CCTV surveillance or accompanied by a prison officer whenever she goes to the toilet27. The CPT remains concerned that vaginal searches continue to be practiced at Thiva Prison and not always on the basis of absolute necessity. Further, in neither Korydallos Women’s nor Thiva Prisons was a special register kept recording each instance a vaginal search was made, the reasons for it and reference to the prosecutor’s order. The CPT calls upon the Greek authorities to ensure that vaginal examinations of female prisoners are only carried out when absolutely necessary and upon the required order of the prosecutor, and that each examination is properly recorded in a special register. 51. The Committee has already stated that obliging prisoners, whether male or female, suspected of bringing drugs into a prison to take laxatives is a dangerous practice that should be ended forthwith. The type of laxatives used in the prisons visited (irritant28 rather than lubricant) could cause the lining on any ingested drugs to burst and result in death. A prisoner for whom there are reasonable grounds to suspect of attempting to smuggle drugs into the establishment could be placed in a separate cell for 48 to 72 hours, which is sufficient time for all foreign objects to pass through the body naturally. This point was clearly communicated to the Directors of those establishments, such as Domokos Prison, where the practice of issuing laxatives continued. The CPT reiterates its recommendation that the practice of obliging prisoners suspected of smuggling drugs to take laxatives be ended forthwith. 52. The CPT remains concerned that appropriate action is often not taken in respect of persons admitted to prison on remand with visible injuries. The delegation again found examples of failure by the prison authorities to bring such cases to the attention of the relevant prosecutor, notably at Korydallos Men’s and Thessaloniki Prisons. This inaction undermines the very safeguard against ill-treatment and impunity that a thorough medical examination of all newly admitted inmates can represent. The CPT calls upon the Greek authorities to put in place procedures to guarantee the systematic recording of injuries and, when appropriate, the provision of information to the relevant authorities, in line with previous CPT recommendations29. 27 28 29 In such cases at Korydallos Women’s Remand Prison laxatives may be administered to the prisoner upon a doctor’s order. Trademark Dulcolax®. See inter alia, CPT/Inf (2010) 33, paragraph 94.