The meetings provided an opportunity to discuss long-standing issues, such as prison overcrowding and material conditions, in particular access to toilets in prison, regimes for remand and high-security prisoners, staffing levels and training. Healthcare, including medical screening on arrival and mental healthcare, was also addressed, as was the use of observation and security cells and fixation in prisons. These issues were analysed in detail by the CPT in the report on its May/June 2024 visit. The planned operation of a prison in Kosovo* (Gjilan) by the Danish authorities, to accommodate up to 300 foreign national prisoners sentenced by Danish courts to deportation in addition to a term of imprisonment, was also discussed.
The talks were open and constructive, and Minister Hummelgaard confirmed the determination of the Danish authorities to pursue their efforts to offer more alternatives to imprisonment, build new prisons and renovate existing ones, recruit and train more prison staff and improve healthcare services in prisons. Discussions also touched upon the issue of the prison-like regime at Ellebæk Centre for Foreigners.
Senior officials from the Ministry of Interior and Health provided updated information on efforts to reduce recourse to means of restraint in psychiatric establishments. Further, discussions were held on improving the legal safeguards for involuntary patients, and on ensuring closer cooperation with a view to providing better mental healthcare to prisoners and reducing recourse to fixation in prisons.
The talks were also aimed at facilitating the preparation of the response of the Danish authorities to the aforementioned report on the 2024 CPT periodic visit, due in May 2025. The CPT was represented by its President, Alan Mitchell, Vânia Costa Ramos and Marie Kmecovà, as well as Borys Wόdz, Head of Division, of the CPT Secretariat.
* All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nations' Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.