- 28 3. Police and border guard stations in East Macedonia and Thrace region 44. The two cells at Iasmos Police Station were apparently used for holding juvenile irregular migrants until spaces became available in a designated centre for such detainees. At the time of the visit, three unaccompanied minors were being held in one cell; they slept on mattresses on the floor of the cell and were not offered any support or activities, and they were not allowed to access the outdoor exercise yard. One 16-year-old had been held in this cell for more than three weeks, prior to which he had spent 10 months in Komotini pre-departure centre. The conditions in the police station are totally unsuitable for holding unaccompanied minors; further, the rules applied to them were the same as those applied to criminal suspects. The CPT’s delegation made an immediate observation at the end of the visit, requesting that the authorities take immediate action inter alia to ensure that all juveniles are immediately transferred to establishments appropriate to their needs. Specific reference was made to the unsuitable situation at Iasmos Police Station, but the communication of 17 June 2013 from the Greek authorities did not address this matter. The CPT recommends that juveniles be no longer detained at Iasmos Police Station and instead be placed in an establishment appropriate to their needs. 45. The detention area of Komotini Police Station consisted of four cells, each of which measured approximately 12 m², and had an official capacity of 15 persons. At the time of the visit, 18 persons were being detained; but the numbers could be even higher, with people having to sleep on the floor in the secure corridor outside the cells. Access to natural light and artificial lighting in the cells were not adequate. The state of repair of the detention area as a whole was generally poor and there was no outdoor exercise yard. Stays of several months in the detention area were usual and one person had been held for more than five months. Orestiada Police Station had two cells (measuring 13.5 m² each), each with the capacity to hold three persons and, at the time of the visit, was accommodating six persons. Access to natural light was adequate, artificial lighting sufficient and hygiene acceptable. However, there was no outdoor exercise yard and detainees were confined to their cell throughout their stay; one person had been detained at the station for two months. Further, allegations were received that, at times, 12 persons were accommodated in one cell. The conditions of detention at Xanthi Police Station continue to be poor.20 The cells were generally dilapidated and the air fetid. They had limited access to natural light and the artificial lighting was extremely dim. The largest cell (No. 5), accommodating six persons in roughly 27 m², was particularly run down and the toilet and shower cubicles possessed no functioning light. Further, there was no outdoor exercise yard and no activities were offered. In sum, the conditions were hardly suitable for a detention period of 24 hours, and yet certain persons on remand or sentenced had been held in the station for more than four months. The delegation met two unaccompanied minors in one cell (subject to the same regime as criminal suspects) and requested that they be immediately transferred back to the Xanthi pre-departure centre until such time as transportation was arranged to take them to a suitable children’s facility; placing minors in such conditions without any support or information is unacceptable. The CPT is pleased to note that this request was promptly complied with. 20 See the report on the CPT’s 2008 visit: CPT/Inf (2009) 20, paragraph 27.