Conditions in Swiss prisons criticised

The National Commission for the Prevention of Torture has issued reports criticising the conditions in certain Swiss prisons.

This was the first time that the commission had evaluated prisons. The 12-member group, which includes experts from various fields, visited three in 2010 and released its findings on Tuesday.

It found that the women’s prison in Hindelbank, canton Bern, was far too strict and crowded – and its sanitary facilities in need of an overhaul. It also deplored the manner in which maximum security inmates were held in isolation.

It also classified the remand centre in Granges, canton Vaud, as too strict – in particular regarding visitation policies. It also pointed out that the inmates, held in double cells, had to make do with squat toilets and no privacy.

The commission described the treatment of prisoners at the deportation centre in Brig, canton Valais, as degrading. It said that males there were subjected to strip searches that required them to bend over naked for cavity checks.