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For the convenience of the accomplishment of the Muslim detainees’ religious tasks, there
have been set compasses in several spots of the detention areas, which define the Mecca direction.
On the first Thursday of every month, and without being scheduled, whenever it is
considered necessary, communication is accomplished between the Non-governmental
Organization “ARSIS” and minors of Albanian nationality (unaccompanied minors), who wish for
the provision of social and psychological support.
Similarly, members of the Non-governmental organization “New Life” communicate twice
a month with women of Nigeria, especially potential victims of trafficking, who are detained in the
detention areas if they wish, within the framework of a less traumatic procedure of repatriation.
Aside from the above marked N.G.O.s, other N.G.O.s have also access to the detention areas, as
well as corporations, which take action in foreigners’ cases, such as the members of a group of
lawyers for immigrants and refugees’, the Greek Council for Refugees, the Amnesty International,
the Ecumenical Refugee Program, the Network of Social Support for Refugees and Migrants, the
Holy Synod of Greece, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the Initiative for prisoners’ rights, etc.
Finally, according to the regulation of the detention areas, foreigners may be visited in a
special area, designed in such way, so as all the expected terms and security conditions to be fulfilled,
while at the same time comfortable communication between detainees and visitors is allowed.
After the last visit of the Committee, upon its oral recommendation, the existent grille has
been replaced by an unbreakable glass for a more direct communication during visitation.
Communication with advocates and representatives of consular Authorities takes place
unfailingly, seven days a week. For the unity of the procedure, a relevant decision has been issued
by the Head of the Aliens’ Division of Attica, by which visiting hours and other details are defined.
(3)
Existence of mattresses on the floor at the detention areas for minor men, because of
the lack of beds
Minor men’s detention areas are located on the 3rd floor of the Aliens Division of Attica, in
a separate area, so as not to be any communication with other women’s detention areas, which are
also on the 3rd floor.
By construction, as it has been mentioned above, the minors’ detention areas consist of
twenty (20) cells of almost 7 square meters, each one with a cement bed, of total capacity of twenty
(20) persons. Nine (9) of them are by construction internal (that is to say that they do not have direct
access to natural lighting coming from external windows) and they are not used for the minors’
detention.
For this reason, but also for communication reasons among the minors, one (1) more
mattress has been set to the remaining cells, where the minors stay occasionally, for a short period
of time, in case of need.