The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published today the report on its fourth periodic visit to Poland in November/December 2009, together with the response of the Polish authorities.
 

During its visits to Polish prisons, retention centres for foreign nationals held under aliens legislation and specialised institutions, the delegation received no allegations of physical ill-treatment. The Committee has encouraged the Polish authorities to pursue their efforts to combat prison overcrowding and to review the norms fixed by legislation for living space per prisoner, so as to ensure at least 4 m² per inmate in multi-occupancy cells in all penitentiary establishments.
 

The delegation received however a number of allegations of excessive use of force by the police at the time of apprehension, as well as of physical ill-treatment and verbal abuse, including of juveniles, during questioning. The CPT has recommended that police officers be reminded that all forms of ill-treatment are unacceptable and will be the subject of severe sanctions.