[prisoner-rights] Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee publishes report on Poland

Strasbourg, 23.05.2002 - A report issued today by the Council of Europe's
Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) assesses the treatment of
people held in police stations, prisons, psychiatric hospitals and centres
for illegal aliens in Poland.

The report is published at the Polish authorities' request, together with
their response. It covers the CPT's second visit to Poland, which took place
in May 2000.

A number of persons interviewed by the CPT's delegation alleged that they
had been physically ill-treated by the police. In their response, the Polish
authorities indicate that they have reinforced the supervision of police
activities and intensified human rights training of police officers.

At Przemysl Prison, the CPT's delegation was inundated with allegations of
ill-treatment of inmates by prison officers. The Polish authorities have
subsequently imposed disciplinary sanctions on certain staff members and
introduced measures to improve staff training and managerial control.

The CPT also expresses concern about the steady rise of the Polish prison
population and recommends a range of measures to counter this trend. In
their response, the Polish authorities refer to plans to send more prisoners
to semi-open establishments and to provide 20,000 new prison places by the
year 2012.

The CPT gained a generally positive impression of Starogard Gdanski
Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, which offered a range of therapeutic options to
patients. The Polish authorities indicate that the refurbishment programme
underway at the hospital will be completed by 2004.

The report will be available today on the website http://www.cpt.coe.int
Press Release
Council of Europe Spokesperson and Press Division
Ref: 275a02
Tel: +33 3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 3 88 41 39 11
pressunit@coe.int