CASE STUDY: PARANESTI PRE-REMOVAL DETENTION CENTER Analysing first-hand testimonies, BVMN has uncovered a web of violence within the Paranesti Pre-Removal Detention Center (PRDC) stretching from virtually non-existent access to healthcare outside of medical emergencies, to the brutal repression of hunger strikes, prompted by the lack of adequate food, and the deliberate humiliation of detainees, leading to severe psychological deterioration. Five detailed testimonies were gathered remotely by the BVMN reporting team relating to Paranesti PRDC in 2021; all five of these testimonies report that the food given to detainees was of low quality and quantity, that they were denied access to medical care despite repeatedly asking, that the conditions in the cells were overcrowded and squalid with broken toilets and a strong smell and that they were forced to sign papers without an explanation of what they were and without a translator present. Overall, this paints a picture of neglect and structural violence, in which individuals are not granted their rights to a standard of living that is consistent with human dignity. On top of this, inmates report being verbally abused by staff members, citing racist abuse as commonplace with individuals repeatedly being told to go back to their countries. One respondent reported that, after asking for pain relief to treat the discomfort of his artificial hip joint replacement in the cold weather conditions, he was told to ‘get used to the pain because you are going to spend your whole life here with the pain’. Perhaps most shocking are two testimonies taken together by field reporters in February 2021, in which two individuals sharing a container describe a series of violent altercations with other detainees and staff members which led to substantial injuries and severe psychological harm. The two respondents were of Algerian nationality and selfreportedly aged 16 and 28. They described an event in the middle of December 2020 in which a conflict between Pakistani and Algerian detainees broke out. The minor describes being subject to a violent attack by 15 Pakistani detainees who punched, kicked, and attacked him with razors. A video of the aftermath of this assault was shared with the BVMN. Reportedly, the police officers charged with the care of the inmates were watching from the window and laughing as the assault was unfolding. The older respondent attempted to help the minor who was being attacked and at this point the police entered the container and beat the older respondent. He ascertains that the officer was wearing a ring under his glove which exacerbated the extent of the injury, causing him to lose consciousness. heIn the aftermath of this violent event, the 28-yearold respondent repeatedly asked for medical assistance for his injured eye which was swollen shut impairing his sight and causing him severe pain. Eventually, he was taken to hospital in handcuffs and an operation was performed, however, he was not given any information about the procedure nor given any medical documents upon his release from the hospital. The condition of his eye continued to deteriorate and he was further denied medical care, as a form of protest he took his clothes off and stood on top of his container threatening suicide. After this, he was taken to another hospital in Kavala and given a second operation which appeared relatively successful. Meanwhile, the minor who was subject to the attack by Pakistani inmates reports being taken into solitary confinement by the officers, forced to undress to his underwear, handcuffed, a helmet placed over his head, and 10 litres of water emptied out onto him by police officers. He then reports being beaten with plastic batons and kicked by officers. As a result of being in a state of undress and covered with water he reportedly fell ill during the time of isolation. He was left in this condition for two days. Furthermore, the minor reports being registered as an adult in the centre to justify his stay there, and speaks to abuses he has been subject to that originate from him being a minor in an adult detention facility; he reports his belongings being repeatedly stolen by older, larger inmates and being subject to sexual harassment by two older detainees. 2 2