26 think about my situation.” As Ihsan summed up 4. Overcrowding the detainees’ situation, “They have nothing For the reasons described earlier in this update, [here]. No sports, no exercise. Just sitting in the there are drastically fewer people in the PRDC room.” than when we published the first edition of Other factors also contributed to detainees’ this report. However, issues with overcrowding desire to stay in their rooms. Just as one in certain areas of the PRDC persist. participant in last year’s report noted that Across the ten participants interviewed, spending too much time with her neighbours anywhere from approximately 30 to 45 people negatively impacted her mental health, Naeem resided in one section, with one participant shared, “I do not socialize with people because reporting about 60 people in his section. they also complain about their situation, which Marwan, who shared that he currently had 35 makes me even more sad.” In other cases, the people living in his section, said “It used to be insufficient diet contributed to participants not more, but some people were released.” With wanting to leave their rooms, with Ameen and regards to how many people live in each Haidar sharing that “Because of the lack of food container, four participants explained that we were very tired and would sleep all the time.” each container had two rooms, with two During the hotter months, Adil also shared, "I individuals in each room, resulting in four stay inside the room because of the heat.” Thus, people total in each container. Jalal, however, not only are there no recreational activities to noted that in his case “Seven people share two pass the time, but several additional factors rooms in the container, and I share my room with encouraged participants to stay inside their three other people,” while Ihsan said his rooms. The only activity participants container had five people. Participants mentioned organizing and engaging in was experiences with overcrowding is thus prayer. Marwan said, “I sometimes meet people inconsistent, but overcrowding has generally for prayer,” and Adil mentioned that the police decreased overall since the November 2021 respect the privacy of detained persons report. praying. Overall, the lack of recreational activities contributed to participants’ deteriorating mental health. With no activities to preoccupy his mind, Naeem shared, “I think all the time and can only sleep for several hours, and I have suicidal thoughts. I am very isolated and have only memories as the police lost my phone, so I don’t even have photos anymore. I feel like I am a prisoner of my own thoughts.” Adil shared the impact of being in detention on him as well: 5. Inadequate Healthcare As evidenced by participants’ testimonies, detained persons continue to lack access to adequate healthcare. There was no doctor working in the facility during the entire period covered in this report, only a psychologist and two nurses. As for interpretation, only one Sorani interpreter was working inside the PRDC, although occasionally interpreters from RIS would support the psychologist and nurses. However, both the psychologist and “All my passion for life when I was leaving my nurses left at the end of 2022 and there has country to come to Europe is dead now. I’m in a been no medical staff or interpreters at all in prison – I feel I’m living for nothing.” ‘Still detained and forgotten’ – Update on Detention Policies, Practices, and Conditions on Kos 2022/23