aliens (border guard stations, 6 “Special Detention Facilities for Aliens”), and c) illtreatment during detention. ΙΙ. Conditions in police stations Α) European Committee for the Prevention of Torture The CPT in 20077 visited several police stations in Attica and Evros and took the view that the conditions were appropriate only in three police stations and only for short-term detention. The other were problematic in terms of adequate natural and technical lighting, ventilation, levels of hygiene, overcrowding and outdoor exercise area. In 2008,8 the CPT visited again several police stations. The CPT following its observations after the 2007 visit, noted that despite the declared intentions of the Greek Government to renovate the spaces that it had visited, there has been no significant improvement. As a conclusive remark it noted that the detention conditions remain sinister and that overpopulation is still the rule, aggravating the already bad infrastructure and the hygiene conditions (par. 24-25). The issues noted by the CPT in many detention facilities apart from that of overpopulation are9: limited or no access to natural light, inadequate ventilation, deficient cleanness especially in the hygiene spaces, lack of sanitary ware, lack of beds and blankets, lack of a foreyard or/and limited usage of the above. The Greek Government in its response regarding the 2007 Report, acknowledged the existing problems, such as the inadequacy of the existing facilities, the unsuitability of many buildings and the lack of natural light, ventilation and heating and it proceeded to a detailed enumeration of the measures Detention facilities in Border Guard Stations are not exclusively for aliens. However, due to their location at the entry points of Greece, the vast majority of the detainees are aliens. 7 Report to the Government of Greece on the visit to Greece carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 20 to 27 February 2007, Strasbourg, 8 February 2008, CPT/Inf (2008) 3. 8 Report to the Government of Greece on the visit to Greece carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 23 to 29 September 2008, Strasbourg, 30 June 2009, CPT/Inf (2009) 20. 9 The problem of overpopulation has been underlined also by the UN Committee against Torture in its latest conclusions and recommendations to Greece in 2004. 6 2