listening intently and appeared to be part of our group, so in any case it would have been impossible for the men to report any such matters. At no point did the NPM ask the guards to move away so that they could speak to the detainees in private, seemingly unaware of or perhaps simply uninterested in, one of the most basic elements of independent inspecting. Less than two hours into the inspection of all the residential areas of the detention facility, the NPM met the head of the police at the airport, who had been working there for more than 25 years. As we were taking the lift to his office, one of the NPM members felt the need to reassure us that they had good cooperation with the police. We sat at a large conference table where we were cordially offered coffee. In a relaxing atmosphere, the director asked what the NPM’s impression was of the centre and one of the members confirmed the biggest issue was the lack of outdoor space. The director took a different view. He mentioned that the threat of terrorism and understaffing at the airport were what bothered him most. The head complained about the administrative staff at the Petrou Ralli Directorate and said that detainees were being held longer at the airport detention facility because the administrative procedures there were too slow. He also said that they did not need interpreters because there were police officers who speak 2 or 3 languages who they can use. No further questions were asked by the NPM about interpretation. He also mentioned that that they did not need a doctor at the centre because they could use the emergency medical services at the airport and transfer people to hospitals if needed. The NPM asked if there were any problems with detainees from specific countries. The head said that they had problems with Egyptians, but he did not give any reason for this, nor was he questioned further about this statement. As the meeting was naturally drawing to a close, the NPM offered us the opportunity to ask any questions. Despite reminding them that we were there only to monitor the procedures, we were strongly encouraged to ask a question so one of my colleagues asked whether there had been any allegations of ill treatment by staff. There was a sense of unease around the room and it felt as if everyone was holding their breaths while the Director was preparing to answer. ‘No, no allegations’, he swiftly replied, and the meeting was ended shortly after that. ‘I think this was a good inspection, no?’ one of the members of the NPM asked, seeking confirmation from us as outsiders as we were walking back to our cars. To be able to answer this question, we must first consider the development of the NPM in Greece and 141