- 10 The findings of the 2013 visit demonstrate clearly that the situation in respect of the three areas highlighted above remains dire. Irregular migrants continue to be held in police establishments for prolonged periods in totally unacceptable conditions while the immigration detention estate remains overly-focused on security matters; prisons are excessively overcrowded and understaffed and many establishments are, in practice, reduced to a warehousing role. The problem of ill-treatment by the police appears to be growing and there is little evidence that allegations of ill-treatment are investigated promptly and thoroughly, leading to some police officers believing they can act with impunity. 7. The CPT recognises the significant challenges faced by Greece in dealing with large numbers of irregular migrants entering the country, and that its ability to deal with this influx is compounded by the current economic crisis. Tackling this phenomenon requires a coordinated European approach and cannot rely on a policy of long-term detention. Further, the findings of the CPT’s delegation point to the necessity to review the operation of the criminal justice, and the asylum and migration management systems in order to ensure that all persons, especially foreigners, are afforded all the legal safeguards that should surround apprehension, arrest and detention. As to conditions of detention, it goes without saying that all persons deprived of their liberty should be treated with dignity and provided with humane living conditions. The CPT trusts that the Greek authorities will take concrete action to address the very serious concerns raised in this report. In doing so, consideration might be given to tackling some of the issues raised through substantive cooperation programmes. As its Secretary General has stated in the past, the Council of Europe would be willing to contribute to such programmes, if requested. E. Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention 8. At the meetings with the Greek authorities which took place at the end of the visit on 16 April 2013, the delegation made five immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention.1 The Greek authorities were requested to provide the CPT, by 15 June 2013, with: 1 - information on the steps taken to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the methods used by officers of the Security Departments at Kypseli and Omonia Police Stations in Athens and at the Monasteriou Police Headquarters in Thessaloniki, when detaining and interviewing criminal suspects; - confirmation that the two cells in Perama Police Station (Piraeus Prefecture) are no longer used for holding persons overnight; Article 8, paragraph 5, reads as follows: “If necessary, the Committee may immediately communicate observations to the competent authorities of the Party concerned.”