The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published today the report on its fourth visit to Norway in October 2005. The report has been made public at the request of the Norwegian authorities. (11-APR-06)
This article reached www.humanrightshouse.org through the electronic news service of Human Rights Education Associates (HREA). It has been edited for republication here by HRH / Niels Jacob Harbitz.
The report contains, in particular, recommendations to further strengthen fundamental safeguards against the ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty by the police. As for prisons, the CPT has made recommendations regarding restrictions that might be imposed on remand prisoners in the early stages of their detention. In addition, it recalled the need for a systematic medical examination of detainees on their arrival. As regards psychiatry, the CPT recommends that at least one member of the Control Commission of psychiatric institutions should be a qualified psychiatrist, who has no connection with the institution under scrutiny.
The CPT’s report is available on the Committee’s website: http://www.cpt.coe.int. The report, as well as a press release by the Norwegian authorities, is also available on the website of the Norwegian Ministry of Justice and Police: http://www.odin.no/jd/norsk/aktuelt/pressesenter/pressem/012101-070415/dok-bn.html
