- 38 2. Ill-treatment 64. Detained persons in the establishments visited stated that most police officers acted correctly; this was especially the case at Xanthi pre-departure centre. However, the CPT’s delegation did receive a number of allegations of physical ill-treatment of detained persons by police officers in the other three pre-departure centres visited. In particular, several persons at Amygdaleza pre-departure centre alleged that they had received slaps, kicks and blows from an extendable baton either because they were making a complaint or because they had committed an act of self-harm. In addition, a number of detainees alleged that they had been handcuffed to the fence overnight by staff as a punishment. One particularly serious allegation of ill-treatment was reported to the delegation. A person claimed that in early March 2013, when he was returned from the local hospital after having cut himself with some glass, each of his wrists had been handcuffed to the fence of his compound and that he had been left there the whole day sitting in a chair; apparently, one hand was uncuffed so he could eat a meal and he was provided with a blanket by detainees when the temperature cooled down in the evening. Other detained persons, in separate interviews, told the delegation that they had seen this person handcuffed to the fence. The practice of handcuffing persons to a fence should be ended immediately. At Filakio special holding facility, some allegations were again received of detainees being slapped and kicked in the small visits and telephone room, connecting the detention cells to the medical unit.38 It should also be mentioned that many allegations of ill-treatment were received in respect of certain police officers at Komotini pre-departure centre during the period of October to December 2012. Allegations of abusive and, at times, racist language were received in all the centres and holding facilities visited. The CPT recommends that the Greek authorities take rigorous action to counter acts of ill-treatment in immigration detention centres. That action should include instigating investigations into any allegations of ill-treatment. Further, all police officers assigned to custodial tasks in such centres should be provided with appropriate training in inter-personal skills and be regularly reminded that any ill-treatment of detainees, including of a verbal nature, will be punished accordingly. 65. In the course of the visit, the CPT’s delegation received many allegations of excessive use of force and deliberate physical ill-treatment by police officers who intervened to bring under control a disturbance at Komotini pre-departure centre on 23 November 2012. These allegations were made independently by various persons met in a number of police stations and immigration detention centres in different parts of the country. 38 See the report on the CPT’s 2011 visit: CPT/Inf (2012) 1, paragraph 15.