6. Detention and detention centres In Tychero there are no outdoor activities or even a yard. The only chance to get some fresh air is during the regular counting of detainees upon shift changes, or when the detainees see a doctor or a psychologist. Those who are being detained in cell three can get some fresh air when accompanied outside the cell to go to the bathroom. There’s only one card-phone installed outside the cells, installed on a wooden base on the window’s bars, which is moved back and forth between cell one and two. It does not always work and detainees need to purchase phone cards in order to use it. 6.3.2. Feres borderguard station The detention centre in Feres is a small borderguard department located in the middle of the small town. It has a building that was created before 1900 with offices inside, and next to it two cells with small yards.89 The cell next to the borderguard station was renovated and temporarily closed on April 13, 2011. The second cell was also temporarily closed for renovation during our visit in December 2010. The cells’ yards are closed at the top and the sides with lattice. Sometimes border guards climb on the roof of the cells’ yards in order to control or communicate with the detainees from above. The windows at the back of the cells, showing to the street, are closed with bricks. There is no daylight shining into the cells. Even in summer they remained very dark with only one lamp.90 The number of detainees regularly exceeds its limits. With an average of 85 detainees in two cells, the individual space for each of them amounts to approx. 1m2. Due to overcrowding, detainees sometimes sleep on the concrete floor outside that is designated for exercise. »Sometimes 2-3 persons share one mattress. I myself had to sleep in a sitting position, sometimes inside the toilet room, sometimes outside in the rain. In fact, it has been ten days now that I cannot sleep.«91 Apart from the small yards of the cells there is no chance for detainees to go outside other than when they carry the garbage out. 31 December 2010 MSF provided for the construction of a small ambulance room next to the two cells. Feres borderguard station has no separation of people detained for penal or administrative reasons. It is highly problematic that also minors are held together with adults and convicts, as for example in the case of an 11-year old unaccompanied minor in April 2011 who shared a cell with 10 people imprisoned for criminal offences. Women and men were also held together in December 2010, when male detainees reported to us that one of the women was sexually harassed by other male detainees. In April 2011 the detained women reported that they had been held together with men in one cell, and that they were sexually harassed on a constant basis by their co-detainees and to such a high degree that they had a big argument among each other culminating in the intervention of the police guards.92 The detainees have to clean the cells by themselves, but they are not regularly provided with sanitary products, and the high number of detainees and the continuous in- and outflow of people makes the situation worse. In general, the cells are dirty and smelly. Each cell has two toilets and one shower, but during most of our visits only one toilet was working. There are no doors but plastic covers for privacy. Access to water was not always ensured. Sometimes the water was cut and most of the times there was no hot water (e.g. December 2010). »I try to avoid cleaning myself because it is to cold now. I only clean my face and sometimes wash my hair. In the two months that I have been here, they distributed only 1 Tide, 1 shampoo and 1 Vettex (cleaning sponge) for three persons.«93 Personal hygiene products, such as soap and shampoo, were rarely given to the detainees and toilet paper was generally lacking. Interviewed detainees complained about the conditions, telling us they can’t breathe owing to the stench from the toilets. They also said that inmates are constantly smoking and that there is no fresh air. The cells are sometimes so overcrowded that sleeping is only possible in a sitting position. Periods of extreme overcrowding coincided with the renovation of two cells in December 2010 and April 2011, respectively. There are two containers on the parking area of the borderguard station that are currently used by Frontex for screening. Since Detainees reported arguments among each other about access to mattresses and food. The number of mattresses was always insufficient and they were in a very poor condition. There are two meals a day, which suffer in quality. Natural light and heating or ventilation are insufficient. »We have three small heaters in our cell which do not work all the time, so it is very cold,« a male detainee told us in December 2010. 89 Report quotation EDA 3.1.10 90 Other reports referred to a third cell in the cellar, but during our visits detainees did not talk about people being held there. 91 A.F. from Iran; December 18, 2010 – Feres 92 See also chapter on Hunger strikes / women in Feres 93 A.F. from Iran; December 18, 2010 – Feres