Building a Europe for and with children
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CPT highlights standards for juveniles in detention |
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21.02.2015: The Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has pubished its 24th General Report on activities carried out for the period 1 August 2013 to 31 December 2014. A section of the report also sets out the updated standards which the CPT uses when assessing the situation of juveniles (i.e. persons under the age of 18) who are deprived of their liberty under criminal legislation. The following points are stressed under this section: - Additional safeguards should apply to juveniles held in police custody. In particular, there should be a formal obligation to notify a relative or another adult trusted by the juvenile about his/her detention. Further, a detained juvenile should never be subjected to police questioning without the presence of a lawyer and, in principle, a trusted adult person. - Juveniles should, as a rule, not be detained in law enforcement establishments for more than 24 hours, and it would be highly desirable for juveniles to be held in units separate from those for adults. - In detention centres, juveniles should normally be accommodated in individual bedrooms and be allowed to wear their own clothing. Large dormitories should be phased out. - Centres for juveniles should have a comprehensive strategy for managing drug abuse and the prevention of self-harm and suicide. - Staff dealing with juveniles should not carry batons, incapacitating sprays or other means of restraint, and it is to be encouraged that custodial staff do not wear uniforms. - Solitary confinement as a disciplinary measure should only be imposed as a last resort, for very short periods and under no circumstances for more than three days. - All juveniles should have frequent access to a telephone, and it is highly welcome if they are allowed to use free Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services. Press release containing a link to the annual report
Press release containing links to the annual report |