In the course of the visit, the delegation examined the treatment and safeguards afforded to persons deprived of their liberty by the police as well as the treatment and conditions of detention of persons in prison and at the police immigration detention centre. Further, it assessed the situation of persons placed in the Regional Security Department for Mental Health in Dikemark as well as patients placed involuntarily in two civil psychiatric hospitals.
During the visit, the delegation held consultations with Hans-Petter Aasen, State Secretary for the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, and Ellen Rønning- Arnesen, State Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Social Care Services as well as senior officials from the aforementioned Ministries.
In addition, meetings were held with Hanne Harlem, Parliamentary Ombud and Helga Fastrup Ervik, Head of the National Preventive Mechanism Department of the Ombud’s Office. The delegation also met with members of the Norwegian National Supervisory Board for Forced Returns and the Immigration Detention Centre, the Norwegian Bar Association, the Norwegian Psychiatric Association, the Norwegian National Human Rights Institution as well as with representatives of non-governmental organisations and associations active in areas of concern to the CPT.
At the end of the visit, the delegation provided the Norwegian authorities with its preliminary observations.
The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:
- Hans Wolff, Head of Delegation and First Vice-President of the CPT
- Mari Amos
- Tom Daems
- Nico Hirsch
- Anna Jonsson Cornell
They were supported by Marco Leidekker (Head of Division) and Vera Manuello of the CPT Secretariat and assisted by two experts, Hindpal Singh Bhui, Inspection Team Leader at HM Inspectorate of Prisons (United Kingdom), and Clive Meux, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist (United Kingdom).
The delegation visited the following establishments:
Law enforcement establishments
- Police Immigration Detention Centre in Trandum
- Oslo Police HQ
- Tromsø Police HQ
Prison establishments
- Agder Prison, Mandal Unit
- Halden Prison
- Ila Detention and Security Prison
- Telemark Prison, Skien Unit
- Tromsø Prison
Health establishments
- Østfold Hospital, Psychiatric centre, Kalnes
- Regional Security Department for Mental Health, Dikemark
- University Hospital of Northern Norway, Treatment centre for psychiatric illness and substance abuse, Tromsø