T +33(0)388412560             www.coe.int                 [email protected]

Ref. DC 034(2016)

Anti-torture Committee calls upon Albanian authorities to address poor detention conditions, prison healthcare services, and provide safeguards for involuntary hospitalisation

Strasbourg, 03.03.2016 – A new report published today by the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) expresses strong concern over poor conditions of detention, prison healthcare services, the situation of forensic psychiatric patients and the implementation of legal safeguards for involuntary hospitalisation.

Findings based on a 2014 visit illustrate extremely poor conditions of detention in most police establishments, except at Tirana Regional Police Directorate and Korca Police Station. Conditions have also deteriorated at Tirana Prison No. 313 since the 2010 visit (overcrowding, limited access to natural light in cells and lack of hygiene), and conditions were found to be particularly poor at Saranda Pre-Trial Detention Facility.

Although a majority of detainees indicated that they had been treated correctly whilst in police custody, a number of allegations (including from juveniles) of recent physical ill-treatment by police officers were also made. The CPT calls for a “zero tolerance” policy and makes recommendations to reinforce the safeguards provided to persons detained by the police (in particular, effective access to a lawyer).

For prisons, no allegations of recent physical ill-treatment of prisoners by custodial staff were received, with the exception of Peqin Prison, where physical ill-treatment by members of the central prison administration’s special intervention unit was alleged in the context of cell searches.

The CPT acknowledges efforts made to provide prisoners with a range of out-of-cell activities but notes that no real provision was made for employment or educational/vocational training.

The report also points out shortcomings in healthcare services with a severe shortage of medication and the absence of systematic medical screening of newly-arrived prisoners. The CPT calls upon the creation of a specialised forensic psychiatric facility for patients, who had been declared not criminally responsible and who continued to be held in prison establishments in breach of national legislation.

The CPT welcomes progress at Vlora Psychiatric Hospital where patients benefited from a relaxed open-door regime with free access around the hospital premises during the day, the level of hygiene was generally adequate in all the wards, and staffing levels significantly improved. On the other hand, the CPT recommends that urgent steps be taken to improve the poor material conditions in the wards for chronic patients. The Committee also expresses concern that the 2012 Law on Mental Health, which contains important safeguards for psychiatric patients, has never been implemented in the context of involuntary admissions.

In their response, the Albanian authorities refer to the measures being taken to address the CPT’s recommendations.

The main findings of the CPT are set out in the Executive Summary of the report. The CPT’s report and the Albanian authorities’ response have been made public at the request of the Albanian Government.

Contact: Estelle Steiner, Spokesperson/Press officer, Tel. +33 3 88 41 33 35