The objective of the visit was to assess the implementation of the CPT’s long-standing recommendations concerning the treatment and conditions of detention of foreign nationals deprived of their liberty pursuant to aliens legislation These related to the inadequate material conditions, activities and health care as well as lack of information on rights and access to interpretation. To this end, the CPT’s delegation carried out follow-up visits to Border Police detention facilities in Elhovo and Svilengrad (Kapitan Andreevo), Special Homes for Temporary Accommodation of Foreigners in Busmantsi and Lyubimets, and Closed-Type Premises run by the State Agency for Refugees (SAR). Further, the delegation interviewed a number of foreign nationals who had recently been deprived of their liberty by Bulgarian law enforcement agencies and who were no longer in Bulgaria at the time of the interview.
During the visit, the delegation held consultations with senior officials from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the National Police, the Border Police, the Migration Directorate and the SAR. The delegation also met Katya Hristova-Valcheva, Head of Cabinet at the Ombudsman’s Office, and staff of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). Further, meetings were held at the UNHCR Representation in Bulgaria and with staff of the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee.
The visit was carried out by the following members of the CPT:
- Alan Mitchell, President of the CPT and Head of Delegation
- Nikola Kovačević
- Anahit Manasyan
- Chila Van Der Bas
They were supported by Borys Wódz (Head of Division) and Elvin Aliyev from the CPT’s Secretariat, and assisted by two experts, Djordje Alempijević, Professor of Forensic Medicine, University of Belgrade, Serbia, and George Tugushi, former Public Defender (Ombudsman) of Georgia.