[prisoner-rights] Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee examines the treatment of a Spanish prisoner on hunger strike

STRASBOURG, 19.01.2007 -- A delegation of the Council of Europe Committee 
for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or 
Punishment (CPT) has recently carried out a two-day visit to Spain (14 and 
15 January 2007).

The purpose of the visit was to examine the modalities of care and custody 
of José Ignacio DE JUANA CHAOS, a prisoner on hunger strike who is 
currently being held in the Doce de Octubre Hospital in Madrid. The CPT 
was informed that further to a judicial decision the prisoner was being 
fed against his will.

The delegation interviewed the above mentioned prisoner and held 
consultations with members of the medical team at the Doce de Octubre 
hospital, the competent judicial authorities and the Director of Madrid VI 
Prison, where the prisoner was held before being hospitalised. It also met 
representatives of the Spanish Medical Association and several lawyers 
familiar with the case. At the end of the visit the CPT's delegation had 
talks with Maria ÁNGELES GONZÁLES GARCÍA, Secretary General of the 
Ministry of Interior and Mercedes GALLIZIO LLAMAS, Director-General of 
Penitentiary Institutions.

The visit was carried out by two members of the CPT: Mauro PALMA (Italian 
and 1st Vice President of the CPT) and Jean-Pierre RESTELLINI (a Swiss 
medical doctor). They were assisted by Marco LEIDEKKER from the CPT's 
secretariat.