- 38 In the course of this visit, the delegation carried out follow-up visits to Feres, Isaakio, Neo Cheimonio and Soufli Police and Border Guard Stations (all Evros)53 as well as to Drapetsona, Kolonos and Omonia Police Stations (all Attica)54. 85. As regards the police and border guard stations in the Evros region, the Committee notes the comparatively good conditions of detention observed at Feres and Soufli Police and Border Guard Stations. The overall design of both facilities had not changed since the CPT’s last visit in 2013.55 At the time of the visit, 23 foreign nationals, including two unaccompanied children were being detained at Soufli for a capacity of 32 places; 38 persons, including two unaccompanied children (see paragraph 127), were being held at Feres for an overall capacity of 72 places. From the registers it appeared that most were being held for an average period of two or three days. Detention cells and sanitary annexes in both establishments were generally clean, adequately ventilated and lit, and in a good state of repair. Further, all detainees had the possibility to wash their clothes and had been granted access to daily outdoor exercise. That said, at Feres Police and Border Guard Station, the delegation met one foreign national who was being isolated for medical reasons.56 He complained that he had been held alone for at least eight days in a small cell with a blocked sink, without any meaningful human contact, in conditions akin to solitary confinement, including during his daily outdoor exercise which lasted for no longer than ten minutes. He was found in a fragile mental state. The CPT recommends that the Greek authorities take the necessary steps to ensure that all detained persons who are isolated for medical reasons are provided with at least some meaningful human contact every day (for instance, during outdoor exercise). 86. The detention area at Neo Cheimonio Police and Border Guard Station was holding 12 persons, including four children, in the larger cell (21 m²), and eight persons, including three children, in one of the two smaller cells (12 m² each) – i.e. in less than 2 m² of living space per person. The number of beds and sponge mattresses were insufficient and the smaller children were required to share a mattress with their parents. Although the cells were clean, access to natural light was insufficient and water was leaking from the toilet area in the smaller cell. Further, the group that had arrived two days earlier had not yet been granted access to the fenced outdoor exercise yard. The registers indicated that, previously, on two occasions, up to 86 persons had been held at Neo Cheimonio in conditions of severe overcrowding.57 53 54 55 56 57 See the CPT’s 2013 visit report (CPT/Inf (2014) 26), paragraphs 47-51, for Feres and Soufli Police and Border Guard Stations; and the CPT’s 2011 visit report (CPT/Inf (2012) 1), paragraph 29, and the CPT’s 2007 visit report (CPT/Inf (2008) 3), paragraphs 23 and 25, for Isaakio and Neo Cheimonio (then referred to as “Neo Himoni” Police and Border Guard Station). See the CPT’s report on its 2016 visits (CPT/Inf (2017) 25), paragraph 55, for Drapetsona Police Station; the CPT’s 2007 visit report (CPT/Inf (2008) 3), paragraph 22, for Kolonos Police Station; and the CPT’s 2015 visit report (CPT/Inf (2016) 4), paragraph 58, for Omonia Police Station. Feres Police and Border Guard Station has a detention area composed of two blocks with respectively seven and eight cells, which are separated by a courtyard. 13 of the cells measured 18 m² and each contained five concrete plinths, and the two remaining cells had three or four plinths. The detention area of Soufli Police and Border Guard Station consisted of four cells, each measuring 18 m² and equipped with four sets of bunk beds, a plinth, a storage rack, and a sanitary annexe with a shower, a toilet and a basin, for an overall capacity of 32. He had scabies and was receiving anti-scabietic treatment. It should be noted that scabies can only be spread during a relatively long period of direct skin contact with an infected person. Although the duty officer indicated that they had been held there for only a few hours, this information could not be verified as no date or time of departure was recorded. Over 1,050 persons had been processed through Neo Cheimonio Police and Border Guard Station in 2018.