Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................ 3
I.
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 6
A.
B.
C.
D.
The visit, the report and follow-up ...................................................................................... 6
Context of the visit............................................................................................................... 6
Consultations held by the delegation and cooperation encountered .............................. 7
Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention ...................... 8
II.
FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ........................................ 9
A.
Foreign nationals deprived of their liberty under immigration legislation ...................... 9
1.
Preliminary remarks ...................................................................................................... 9
2.
Ill-treatment................................................................................................................. 10
3.
Safeguards against ill-treatment ................................................................................. 12
4.
Police and border guard stations ................................................................................ 16
a.
preliminary remarks ........................................................................................... 16
b.
conditions of detention in police and border guard stations ................................ 16
c.
conditions of detention in Athens Airport Special holding facility ........................ 18
5.
Pre-removal detention centres .................................................................................... 20
a.
preliminary remarks ........................................................................................... 20
b.
conditions of detention ....................................................................................... 21
c.
healthcare services ............................................................................................ 26
d.
staffing issues .................................................................................................... 31
B.
Closed controlled access centres .................................................................................... 33
1.
Preliminary remarks .................................................................................................... 33
2.
Ill-treatment and safeguards ....................................................................................... 35
3.
Living conditions ......................................................................................................... 36
4.
Unaccompanied and separated children ..................................................................... 40
5.
Persons with special needs and vulnerabilities ........................................................... 41
6.
Healthcare services .................................................................................................... 42
7.
Staffing issues ............................................................................................................ 44
C.
Informal forcible removals at borders – “pushbacks” .................................................... 46
APPENDIX I – ESTABLISHMENTS VISITED .............................................................................. 51
2