- 43 the RIC for prolonged periods.65 43 persons, including 21 unaccompanied children (see paragraphs 124-125), had been detained at the centre for more than 25 days; four men had been held for almost two months and an unaccompanied child for almost 10 months. As a result of this bottleneck, apprehended irregular migrants were initially placed in custody in one of the police and border guard stations in the Evros region, before being transferred to Fylakio Pre-removal Centre (or another detention centre in Northern Greece), by way of derogation from the existing legislation, where they were warehoused in detention until a place in the RIC became available. This deprivation of liberty could last between several days and several weeks, but as much as several months in some cases, until their transfer to Fylakio RIC (this was particularly the case for single men from countries with low recognition rates)66. According to the information gathered by the delegation, all foreign nationals, including vulnerable persons, were subjected without distinction to this practice, at the time of the April 2018 visit. That said, vulnerable persons (e.g. families) and persons from countries with high refugee-recognition rates (e.g. Syria and Iraq) were prioritised and usually transferred to the RIC within one or two weeks of their apprehension and detention by the police. Given this context, the CPT invites the Greek authorities to introduce alternative measures to detention for new arrivals, and particularly for asylum seekers and vulnerable persons. Further, in view of the current practice of non-prosecution of the irregular entry of foreign nationals, consideration should be given to amending the law accordingly. 97. As regards material conditions, each of the four wings consisted of six accommodation units comprising five sets of bunk beds and a sanitary annexe with a shower, a toilet and a sink, as well as one association room with a television, tables and chairs, one laundry room and one room for worship, all sufficiently ventilated and lit. As a result of the overcrowding in the four wings, all available units (including those intended for association, laundry and worship) accommodated detainees who slept on additional mattresses placed on the floor. For instance, 20 men were crammed inside the association room in Wing D. Most accommodation units in the centre were in a good state of cleanliness and repair. That said, only two showers were functioning in Wing D, which held 88 persons and, reportedly, the funding was insufficient for repair works to take place. The delegation has also been informed about a major problem with the sewage system. While all foreign nationals were provided with sheets and bedding, and personal hygiene items, a number of persons interviewed complained that hygiene products were insufficient and that they had not received appropriate clothing. On 7 June 2018, the Greek authorities informed the CPT that “extension works” had been carried out “at the RICs” to increase the number of accommodation places available. 65 66 After their identification, asylum seekers were usually given the choice to be released or to remain detained in the RIC until a place in an open reception centre became available. In particular, unaccompanied children were required to stay until adequate accommodation was identified for them and some of them had to undergo lengthy procedures for confirming their age or verifying family links. Only a very small percentage of asylum seekers from countries such as Algeria, Bangladesh, Morocco, Pakistan or Tunisia are able to obtain refugee or subsidiary protection status in Greece. Foreign nationals from these countries were usually placed in detention.