Torturkomiteen henstillede i 2008 blandt andet til, at ledelsen i Statsfængslet Østjylland
viser sig på afdelingerne og taler med de indsatte, og at indsattes klager bliver efterforsket

22. 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.

Det fremgår blandt andet, at torturkomiteen under sit besøg i Statsfængslet Østjylland modtog klager over overdreven brug af magt fra fængselspersonalet. Direktoratet for Kriminalforsorgen oplyste i denne anledning til komiteen, at de danske myndigheder var i færd med at undersøge en bestemt sag om unødvendig brug af magt i forbindelse med anbringelse af en indsat i sikringscelle i november 2007.

Endvidere opfordrede komiteen i rapporten blandt andet til, at ledelsen i Statsfængslet i Østjylland vil bestræbe sig på at forbedre relationerne mellem personalet og de indsatte, at den regelmæssigt vil tilbringe tid på de indsattes belægsafdelinger, at ledelsen er i "direkte kontakt med de indsatte", og at den undersøger klager, der fremsættes af de indsatte.

Af rapportens præmis 25 fremgår følgende:
 

25. The delegation heard no allegations of deliberate physical ill-treatment of prisoners by staff in the prisons visited. On the contrary, most prisoners spoke favourably of the way in which they were being treated by prison staff, and the delegation observed for itself that relations between prisoners and staff were quite relaxed.

That said, at East Jutland Prison, the delegation received some allegations of prison officers using excessive force when controlling and placing prisoners in a security cell. In their response to the delegation.s preliminary observations, the Danish authorities stated that the Prisons and Probation Department is currently investigating whether unnecessary force was applied in one particular case of confinement in a security cell at the prison in question in November 2007. The CPT would like to be informed of the outcome of this investigation.

Further, it appeared that in the months following the opening of the new establishment, there had been some tensions between staff and management, as well as between different groups of staff, linked to initial problems with the new technology and security procedures as well as changes in the role of staff.¹⁷ The staff.s response had been to confine prisoners to their units and make little use of the spacious grounds. That had led to resentment amongst prisoners, who felt that the promised regime activities had not been provided. At the time of the CPT.s visit, staff were beginning to feel more comfortable in the new prison and were beginning to allow prisoners more freedom to use the available facilities. However, the delegation’s observations suggest that there remains room for improvement. The CPT trusts that the management of East Jutland State Prison will make use of all means at its disposal to ensure that constructive staff-inmate relations prevail at the establishment. This will involve, inter alia, the regular presence of prison managers in the detention areas, their direct contact with prisoners, and investigating complaints made by prisoners.