detainee. The majority of persons detained were registered as Afghan, Iraqi, or Pakistani arrested in Patras or Athens. No detainees were registered as younger than 18 and, indeed, the police officer on duty told us that no children were held at the center.178 However, the year of birth of at least 20-30 detainees was recorded as 1990. While not evidence in itself, this seemed an unusual pattern. More compelling evidence of unaccompanied children detained jointly with adults at Venna, and for the full three months, came from other sources. We were able to speak briefly to one detainee before authorities interrupted our conversation. He told us: “I’m 16 years old but the police wrote that I’m 18. I’ve been here for two months and 10 days. I was arrested in Patras. There are three other boys who are 14 and 15 years old. Their names are [names withheld].”179 The presence of underage boys was confirmed by a second source who asked not to be identified. A third person who was detained in Venna between February and May 2008 told Human Rights Watch: “There was a 14-year-old boy but when the police caught him he had the deportation order of his friend. His friend was registered as an 18-year-old but the police didn’t care. He was small. There were more underage boys. In each cell there were four to five underage boys. I’m sure about that. They were also detained for three months.”180 Ill-Treatment of Children in Detention Human Rights Watch documents in a second report on Greece that, with few exceptions, detention conditions in Greece, especially in Venna, Mitilini on Lesvos Island, the border police stations in the Evros region, and in the airport, amount to 178 Human Rights Watch visit to Venna detention center, 2008 (exact date withheld). We did not record the name of the police officer on duty. 179 Human Rights Watch interview with Habibullah R., Venna detention center (exact date withheld). 180 Human Rights Watch interview with Timur F., Athens, June 6, 2008. 59 Human Rights Watch December 2008