25
participants confirmed that detainees are only
detention order and obtain a decision for his
offered one water bottle per day, which
release, with medical concerns being one of the
participants described as inadequate to meet
reasons the release order was issued.
their basic needs. This trend continues from
the last report in which participants shared
that detainees were only provided with a 1.5L
water bottle per day.64 As a result of the
inadequate amount of water being provided to
detained persons, Naeem shared that he
“would be thirsty at night sometimes” but would
not “dare ask for more water,” while Farouq
shared that he tried to make one bottle of
water last a few days. The amount of water
provided to detainees also remained the same
despite the rising temperatures in the summer
months, which in 2022 reached an average of
26.4 degrees Celsius and a peak of 36 degrees
in August.65 Equal Rights was also informed by
3. Lack of Recreational Activities
As in the first edition of this report,67 each of
the ten participants interviewed shared that
they had no access to recreational activities
while in detention, which contributed to their
overall deteriorating mental health.
Participants this year again shared that the
lack of recreational activities deterred them
from spending time with others and instead
encouraged them to spend time alone in their
room. Unlike the November 2021 report,
however, participants shared that they did not
devise their own recreational activities to pass
the time other than prayer.
clients that the PRDC had no running water in
Many participants shared that they did not
July 2022, which saw an average of 27 degrees
leave their rooms due to a lack of recreational
Celsius.66 Despite this, detained persons were
activities. For example, Marwan shared he
not given extra water, meaning they had to
spends time, “On my bed, and I do not leave the
ration the little water they had if they wanted
room a lot, only where there is something special,”
to wash their belongings or clean their
which causes him to “feel trapped.” Farouq said,
containers.
“I lay in bed and only get up in the morning for
For those with health problems, the lack of
water posed even further challenges. For
example, Adil shared that he needed more
water because of a medical problem and thus
wakes up early in the morning for extra water,
which he said, “Sometimes they give me,
sometimes they don’t.” Due to this participant’s
count but find it very difficult to do so.” While
some detained persons spend time on their
phones, Jalal shared that the police broke his
phone when attempting to break his camera,
leaving him without a phone until his brother
sent him a new one. Without the phone, Jalal
said,
medical conditions and the lack of appropriate
“I pass the time by sitting there doing nothing.”
treatment he was receiving, Equal Rights was
Naeem echoed these sentiments when he
able to successfully file objections against his
shared, “I sit on the bed alone and cry every time I
64
65
Detained and Forgotten, supra note 3, at 47.
Summer average was measured from June 21,
2022 to September 23, 2022, the official dates of
summer in the northern hemisphere. Meteostat,
Kos Airport (last visited 13 December 2022),
available at: https://bit.ly/3IeWDlC.
Summer average was measured from June 21,
2022 to September 23, 2022, the official dates of
summer in the northern hemisphere. Meteostat,
Kos Airport (last visited 13 December 2022),
available at: https://bit.ly/3IeWDlC.
67
Detained and Forgotten, supra note 3, at 49.
66
‘Still detained and forgotten’ – Update on Detention Policies, Practices, and Conditions on Kos 2022/23