[prisoner-rights] Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee visits the Netherlands

Strasbourg, 20-06-2007 -- A delegation of the Committee for the Prevention
of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) of the
Council of Europe carried out a visit to the Kingdom of the Netherlands
from 4 to 14 June 2007. This was the CPT's fourth periodic visit to the
Kingdom of the Netherlands, and it included visits to establishments in
the Kingdom in Europe as well as in Aruba and in the Netherlands Antilles.

The visit to the Kingdom in Europe was carried out by the following
members of the CPT:

- Andres LEHTMETS (Head of the Delegation) (Estonian) 
- Haritini DIPLA (Greek) 
- Marc NEVE (Belgian). 

They were assisted by Marco LEIDEKKER, of the CPT's Secretariat, and by
Jurgen VAN POECKE, Director of ‘De Grubbe' Youth detention centre in
Everberg, Belgium.

In the course of the visit, the CPT's delegation met Guusje TER HORST,
Minister of Interior, Ernst HIRSCH BALLIN, Minister of Justice, and
Nebahat ALBAYRAK, State Secretary of Justice. The delegation also met with
Alex BRENNINKMEIJER, National Ombudsman, and Peter VAN DER SANDE, deputy
head of the National Agency for Correctional Institutions.

The CPT's visit to the Kingdom in Europe provided an opportunity to
examine recently opened detention facilities, such as the Terrorist
departments in 'De Schie' and 'Vught' Prisons, and immigration detention
centres in Rotterdam and Dordrecht. The delegation also reviewed the
treatment of juveniles in an establishment for youth detention.

The delegation visited the following places of deprivation of liberty:

Law enforcement establishments 

in The Hague 

- Burgemeester Patijnlaan Police Station 
- Hoefkade Police Station 

in Rotterdam 

- Doelwater Police Station 
- Schiedamseweg Police Station 
- Zuidplein Police Station 

Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Justice 

- the Terrorist departments at 'De Schie' and 'Vught' Prisons; 
- the detention boats 'Stockholm' in Rotterdam and 'Kalmar' in Dordrecht; 
- the Expulsion Centre at Rotterdam airport; 
- 'De Hartelborgt' youth detention centre, in Spijkenisse. 

The visits to Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles were carried out by the
following members of the CPT:

- Mario FELICE (Head of the Group) (Maltese) 
- Tim DALTON (Irish) 
- Ann-Marie ORLER (Swedish). 

They were assisted by Caterina BOLOGNESE, of the CPT's Secretariat, and by
Eric DURAND, medical doctor, former Head of medical services at
Fleury-Mérogis Prison, France.

In the course of the visit to Aruba, the delegation met Rudy CROES,
Minister of Justice, Nico JORG, Solicitor-General, Hans MOS, Chief Public
Prosecutor, Peter DE WITTE, Chief of Police, and Laurence PASKEL, Director
of Government Security (IASA).

The delegation examined the measures taken by the authorities of Aruba in
response to the recommendations made by the Committee following its visit
in 1994. It visited the Correctional Institution of Aruba (KIA) and the
police stations of Noord, Oranjestad, and San Nicolaas. The delegation
also visited the 'Centro di Deportacion' for immigration detainees.

During the visit to the Netherlands Antilles, the delegation met David
DICK, Minister of Justice, Lizanne RICHARDS-DINDIAL, Lieutenant Governor
of Curaçao, Dick PIAR, Attorney General of the Netherlands Antilles, and
Carlos CASSERES, Acting Chief Commissioner of Police of Curaçao. The
delegation also held talks with Fred WIEL, the Ombudsman for Curaçao.

The delegation examined the measures taken by the authorities of the
Netherlands Antilles in response to the recommendations made by the
Committee following its visit in 2002 to Bon Futuro Prison, including the
Police Detention Unit (Block No. 1). It also visited three other police
establishments in Curaçao Barber, Punda, and Rio Canario police stations,
as well as the 'Illegalen Barakken' for immigration detainees.

The CPT's delegation also visited, for the first time, the island of
Bonaire, in particular the Remand Prison and Kralendijk and Rincon police
stations.