- 60 Further, most prisoners met, notably at Korydallos Men’s Prison, Ioannina and Larissa Prisons, complained about dirty mattresses and blankets and that they were not provided with bedding. The delegation observed for itself these shortcomings, which compounded the negative impact on overall levels of hygiene resulting from the overcrowded conditions. The CPT’s delegation also noted in all prisons that hygiene articles were either not provided at all or only in extremely limited quantities. Prisoners are obliged to purchase such products in prison shops or rely on supplies from friends or relatives visiting them. This situation impacts even more those prisoners without any relatives or friends to supply them with money or hygiene articles, which is more often the case with non-Greek prisoners. The CPT wishes to remind the Greek authorities, once again, that they have an obligation to provide a minimum of basic hygiene articles to all prisoners in their custody and care, and should not attempt to shift this obligation onto prisoners and their families. The CPT calls upon the Greek authorities to ensure that: - all prisoners are provided with sufficient quantities of cleaning products to keep their cells/dormitories clean as well as of products for personal hygiene; - bedding is washed on a regular basis. 110. Lack of hot water seems to be a widespread problem in the Greek prison system; for example, at Ioannina Prison it was available for just 20 minutes a day, which is absolutely insufficient for the number of prisoners there. The delegation was informed that the short period of time during which hot water is available is a constant source for tensions and violence between prisoners, adding more strain in this already severely overcrowded environment. The availability of hot water is directly linked to maintaining decent standards of hygiene and a good state of general health amongst prisoners. In many prisons, the delegation was also informed that heating during the winter months was either completely absent, such as in Korydallos Men’s Prison, or only available for very short periods of time and largely insufficient, as was the case, for example, in Larissa prison. To keep warm, prisoners often slept in their winter clothes, leading to a further decline in levels of hygiene and health. The CPT recommends that the Greek authorities ensure that inmates in all prisons have regular access to hot water, both for reasons of personal hygiene as well as for washing clothes and dishes. More specifically, prisoners should have the possibility to shower with warm water at least twice a week.65 Further, the CPT recommends that appropriate measures be taken to ensure an adequate temperature in cells at all times, including during the winter months. 65 More frequently, if the circumstances warrant, taking into account the European Prison Rules (Section 19.4).