Torturkomiteen henstillede i 2008 blandt andet til, at man i Danmark under transport af
indsatte kun anvender håndjern efter en konkret risikovurdering

  

Af advokat Claus Bonnez, formand for Landsforeningen KRIM

25. december 2009

Den 25. september 2008 offentliggjorde Den europæiske torturkomite (the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)) en rapport over sit besøg i Danmark i perioden fra den 11. til den 20. februar 2008.

Komiteen modtog klager over regelmæssig brug af håndjern og transportbælter under transport af indsatte og fik fra Direktoratet for Kriminalforsorgen oplyst, at der var sket en stor stigning i brugen af håndjern overfor indsatte i perioden fra 2005 til 2007.

Komiteen henstillede til, at der kun anvendes håndjern efter en konkret og individuel risikovurdering af den enkelte sag. Særligt rettedes der kritik mod brug af håndjern med armene placeret på ryggen. Komiteen henviste blandt andet til, at en sådan praksis under transport er farlig, og at den er ukomfortabel for den indsatte.

Af præmis 27 fremgår følgende:
 
 

27. A number of prisoners met during the visit complained that they had been handcuffed behind the back during transportation to court or another prison in a manner which was painful and left marks on their wrists. It would appear from statistical information provided by the Danish authorities that the use of handcuffs and transportation belts during prisoners. transportation outside and within prisons has increased over the years (from a total of 1,484 cases in 2005, to 2,566 cases in 2007). At the same time, the Danish authorities stated that the Copenhagen Prisons have endeavoured to perform a more detailed and structured assessment of the escape risk in each case.

The CPT recommends that the Danish authorities ensure that the use of handcuffs and transportation belts during prisoners’ transportation outside and within prisons is done only when the risk assessment in the individual case clearly warrants it and in a way that minimises any risk of injury to the prisoner. As regards in particular the handcuffing of prisoners behind the back during transportation, given the potential for discomfort to the prisoner concerned and the risk of injury in case of accident, this practice should be avoided; prisoners should be transported instead in secure vans, thereby obviating the need for them to be handcuffed during the journey.