6 CONDITIONS IN DETENTION INFRINGE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNITY Even when the use of detention is justified by law, there have been many reports of asylum seekers being kept in conditions that violate their rights and dignity. There are huge differences between the conditions of detention in police stations and those in Pre-Removal Centres. About 25% of people who are detained are held in police stations throughout the country, while most migrants are detained in one of the seven Pre-Removal Centres. DETENTION IN POLICE STATIONS Detention in police stations or other places under the responsibility of the police (including border police stations, the Police Directorate building, and the police station at Athens airport) seems to be the harshest form. Cells are designed for only a few hours’ detention, but migrants are often detained there for much longer periods, with no outdoor access, no access to a natural light source and no privacy. They are also often detained in the same cells as suspects of serious crimes. There is no access to an interpreter and no medical or psychological services are provided. The European Court of Human Rights, in two separate cases in 2018 and 2019, ruled that prolonged detention in police stations constitutes a breach of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, noting that ‘police stations per se … are places designed to accommodate people for a short time only’. 48 Despite this, Greek authorities continue this unacceptable practice and ignore the ruling. DETENTION CONDITIONS IN PRE-REMOVAL CENTRES Reports suggest a range of poor conditions in Pre-Removal Centres. While some are specific to each centre, others are common to all. The most common problems are as follows: 49 • Lack of medical personnel. Recent data confirm that only 10 doctors are available for 2,392 detainees in the seven Pre-Removal Centres. 50 • Lack of interpreters. Two of the Pre-Removal Centres have no interpreters at all, while others have insufficient numbers of interpreters for those detained. • Lack of mental health specialists. There are only nine psychologists available across all seven centres. In total, there are just 34 medical and psychosocial support staff for the seven Pre-Removal Centres (doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists, interpreters and social workers), a reduction on 2020. 51 17