6. Detention and detention centres 36 Detention centre in Fylakio of 500 detainees in seven cells, the individual space for each amounts to 1,3m2. In the past, the number of detainees has sometimes outreached 700 persons.108 The building is located outside the village. It is surrounded by fences and monitored by surveillance cameras on the inside and outside. The yard has a parking lot for the police cars. In one corner, confiscated trucks and cars – used for smuggling – are parked. These trucks are used as storage space for the detainees’ personal belongings, which they have to hand to the authorities upon arrest. In summer time, personal items are piled up on the ground of the yard: Hundreds of bags without any registration number. There is a separate cell for women. It is located next to the convalescent room, which is close to the medical examination room and the guards’ office. Inside this cell, there are also unaccompanied teenage girls and single mothers. The cell has 40m2. During the period of our research, in average 30-40 women were imprisoned in there. »There is no hot water, the toilets are dirty, the food not eatable.«109 Minors are usually detained in cell number two. Sometimes they end up sharing cells with adults, especially when they are not identified as minors, or when the second cell is overcrowded. »We are 90 persons in my cell. I have been here for 90 days. I have to share my bed with another minor but there are also adults in our cell.«110 Detainees repeatedly reported about mixed detention. Among the detainees there are asylum seekers, sick people with severe physical or psychological health problems, elderly, unaccompanied minors and small children. The cells are stuffed up the ceiling with metal bunk beds for two to three persons. In between the beds, cardboards and blankets are spread on the floor for the ones who have no bed. 108 109 110 111 As it happened in the summer of 2010. L.C. from Syria; October 10, 2011 – Fylakio Y.I. (16) from Syria; December 20, 2010 – Fylakio M.S. from Iran; December 20, 2011 – Fylakio The cells are filthy and smell bad. Cleaning and hygiene products are rarely distributed, and if so, in small quantities. »I cannot wash myself very often – maybe every two or three weeks. It is cold. There are no towels, no shampoo and no soap. Since I was detained, they gave only two soaps to our cell – with literally 80 persons. We ended up fighting for the soaps.«111 There are four toilets in each cell, but usually at least two of them do not function. »Sometimes we try not to eat for a few days just in order to avoid using the toilets.«112 There is one shower in each cell. Sewage water is flooding the floor. Some of the showers do not work. In winter, the water pipes sometimes freeze for days. »There is no water coming out, but only mud. Two days ago we had no water at all.«113 There is no heating if there’s no petrol. There is no ventilation. Since all cells share the same corridor there is a lot of noise and it’s difficult to sleep or relax. Blankets and mattresses are sometimes insufficient and very dirty. There is no provision with towels or extra clothes. »Even the clothes I wear do not belong to me. I constantly feel cold. Even the clothes I wear are now damaged everywhere because the police grabs us by the shirts and pulls us around.«114 There are six phones, but the detainees claim not to have free access. Most of them are out of order. Phone calls can only be made once a week, according to the cell number and provided the detainees have money to buy phone cards. Detainees reported that they cannot always make a call when it is their turn because in the limited time not everybody from the cell gets on the phone. A catering service brings food. They leave it on the ground, just in front of the detention centre. A group of detainees from each cell is responsible for its distribution. Meals are eaten in the cells, without tables and chairs. If there are 112 M.S. from Iran; December 20, 2011 – Fylakio 113 Y.I. (16) from Syria; December 20, 2010 – Fylakio 114 M.S. from Iran; December 20, 2011 – Fylakio