Council of Europe calls on Spain to improve the prison-like conditions of administrative detention of irregular migrants
The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), in two reports published last week following its visits to Spain in 2011 and 2012, calls on the Spanish authorities to effectively investigate allegations of ill-treatment, to address prison overcrowding, and to improve the conditions of administrative detention of irregular migrants.
The Council of Europe says that the CPT report criticises the prison-like atmosphere in the Barcelona and Madrid administrative centres of detention of foreign nationals under aliens legislation, made worse by the restrictive regime in place and the limited contacts with the outside world.
The report urges the authorities to review their approach towards the detention of irregular migrants and refers to several allegations of ill-treatment of detainees, in particular by an external intervention squad of the National Police. The CPT reiterates the importance of the Spanish authorities carrying out prompt and thorough investigations whenever allegations of ill-treatment are made.
The CPT's reports and the Spanish authorities' responses are available on the Committee's website.