The purpose of the visit was to examine the treatment of persons held in police and prison establishments in the autonomous community of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya). To this end, the CPT delegation visited five prison establishments, one juvenile education centre and the Terrasa Prison Hospital. The delegation examined in particular the conditions of detention of prisoners accommodated in closed regime departments (Departements Especials de Règim Tancat) and the resort to restraint measures, notably mechanical fixation for regimental and medical purposes.
The CPT also examined the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty by law enforcement agencies, notably the Mossos d’Esquadra, their conditions of detention and the operation of legal safeguards against police ill-treatment. It visited several police establishments in the Barcelona region and met with persons held on remand in prison. The visit provided an opportunity to assess the progress made in these areas since the CPT’s previous visit to the region in 2018.
In the course of the visit, the delegation held consultations with Fernando Grande Marlaska, Spanish Minister of the Interior, and Carlos Prieto Gomez, Delegate of the Government in Catalonia, as well as with Nuria Parlon Gil, Conseller for the Interior of Catalonia and Ramon Espadaler Parcerisas, Conseller for Justice and Democratic Equality of Catalonia.
It also met with Elena Pérez Fernández, Secretary General for Criminal Sanctions of the Department of Justice, Josep Lluis Trapero Álvarez, Director General of the Mossos d’Esquadra as well as with other senior officials from the same departments. The delegation also met with a senior supervisory judge and representatives of the prison staff trade unions. Meetings were also held with Esther Giménez-Salinas i Colomer, Catalan Ombudswoman (Síndic de Greuges) and with representatives of civil society.
The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT: Gunda Wössner (Head of the delegation), Vanessa Durich-Moulet, Aleksandar Tomčuk, Imants Jurevičius, Vincent Delbos and Tom Daems. They were supported by Mauro Palma, former Head of the Italian National Preventive Mechanism (Italy), and Catherine Paulet, psychiatrist, Head of the Regional
Medico-Psychological Service at Marseille Prison (France), as well as by Christian Loda and Monica Martinez of the CPT Secretariat.
At the end of the visit, the delegation presented its preliminary findings to the competent authorities.
The delegation visited the following establishments:
Police establishments:
- Mossos d’Esquadra District Station “Les Corts”, Barcelona
- Mossos d’Esquadra District Station, Ciutat Vella Barcelona
- Mossos d’Esquadra District Station, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat
- Mossos d’Esquadra District Station, Vilanova i la Geltrú
- Mossos d’Esquadra Detention Centre “Ciutat de la Justicia”, Barcelona
- Headquarters of the National Police, Barcelona
- Guardia Civil Headquarters of Catalonia, Travessera de Gràcia, Barcelona
Penitentiary establishments:
- Brians I Prison
- Brians II Prison
- Lledoners Prison
- Quatre Camins Prison
- Joves Prison
- Terrassa Prison Hospital
- Els Tillers Juvenile Educational Centre.
