The Council of Europe’s Anti-torture Committee reports the dire conditions at the Korydallos Psychiatric Hospital for prisoners in Greece

31-08-2023

Sofía Medina Sánchez 

International Justice and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence 

On the 31st of August, the Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) published a report on its ad hoc visit to Greece from 8th to 11th of November 2022. This visit had as its main objective the observance and examination of the living conditions and treatment of prisoners held in the Korydallos Psychiatric Hospital. 

The Committee concluded that the Hospital qualifies as a prison in both design and functioning. Furthermore, the CPT found that the prisoners are held in overcrowded rooms and have few accesses to purposeful activities. The treatment consists solely of pharmacotherapy, and no occupational therapy activities are offered. 

The situation was further exacerbated by inadequate staffing arrangements, as there was neither a resident psychiatrist nor sufficient fully trained nurses available for the 170 patients. The operational oversight of the hospital was entrusted to a limited group of committed prison officers lacking formal training in mental health matters. The report also highlights apprehensions regarding the absence of a restraint policy and the handling of investigations into deaths that occur within the hospital.

In a broader context, the CPT emphasizes the significance of adopting robust measures to address the issue of overcrowding in numerous prison facilities. Additionally, the CPT underscores anew the need to formulate an updated Strategic Plan accompanied by well-defined schedules and comprehensive financial estimates.

In response, the Greek authorities furnish details regarding their efforts to put into practice the recommendations outlined in the CPT's report. They also acknowledge the challenges faced by the prison administration.

Sources and further Reading: 

Council of Europe, Newsroom, Greece: Anti-torture Committee laments "dire" conditions at Korydallos Psychiatric Hospital for prisoners, 31 August 2023: https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/-/greece-anti-torture-committee-laments-dire-conditions-at-korydallos-psychiatric-hospital-for-prisoners

Council of Europe Portal, Media Release, Ref. DC 182(2023), Greece: Anti-torture Committee laments "dire" conditions at Korydallos Psychiatric Hospital for prisoners, among other findings, Strasbourg, 31.08.2023: https://rm.coe.int/cpt-report-greece/1680ac58fd