- 14 26. Concerning the issue of overcrowding, the CPT’s delegation noted that the detainee population was somewhat unevenly distributed among the border guard establishments in the Alexandroupoli and Orestiada prefectures. For instance in Feres Border Guard Station, gross overcrowding was observed (95 detained persons in two cells of 49 square metres each), whereas in the Isaakio Police Station (about 50 kilometres away) all the cells had been empty for a week. The Committee believes that improved coordination between the various police and border guard stations could contribute to reducing the problem of overcrowding. 27. The detention areas of most establishments visited had little or no access to natural light and were sometimes only dimly lit (notably in the Akropolis and Kypseli Police Stations in Athens and the Alexandroupoli Police Station). In many establishments, effective ventilation was lacking. Cells and common areas were with a few exceptions, such as Iasmos Border Guard Station, generally dirty, in many cases even filthy. One of the worst examples in this regard was the Xanthi Police and Border Guard Station, where all cells were extremely dark, filthy, smelly and dilapidated. The CPT considers that the material conditions in this establishment are unacceptable. 28. In contrast, the Thermi Border Guard Station had good detention conditions, apart from the absence of a yard for outdoor exercise. In this station, the eight detained migrant women shared two large cells. The detention area, including the toilets and showers, was clean, well lit and adequately ventilated. 29. As regards sleeping arrangements, each detained person was supposed in principle to be provided with a mattress and a blanket. However in some places (e.g. Feres Border Guard Station and Xanthi Police and Border Guard Station) detained persons had to share mattresses, while others had to sleep on cardboard or blankets placed directly on the floor. Further, when mattresses had been provided, the CPT’s delegation observed that they were sometimes in a very bad state, and the vast majority of detained persons complained about the mattresses and blankets being old, dirty and often infested with lice and fleas. In numerous cases, the delegation could itself observe that detained persons had marks from recent lice or fleabites on their bodies. For instance, at least four out of ten detained minors in the Metaxades Border Guard Station displayed recent bites. 30. The CPT is particularly concerned about the practice of mixing male and female detained persons in the same cells in the Alexandroupoli prefecture, due to the absence of specific facilities for female detainees. For instance, in Soufli Border Guard Station, the CPT’s delegation came across three women who had to share accommodation with 27 men, and at Feres Border Guard Station, four Chinese women shared a cell with over 40 men. It appeared that most of the women but not all - had family relations with certain of the men in their cells. Some of the women involved indicated to members of the delegation that they felt ill at ease in a cell with men, but had considered that asking for a transfer to another cell would put them at risk of being exposed to men with none of whom they have family relationship.