Greece’s Ombudsman has released a report detailing how Greece’s prisons and detention centers are overcrowded, dangerously understaffed, and risk the health and human rights of detainees and prisoners.

The Ombudsman annual special report for 2022-2023 on the prevention of torture and ill-treatment focused particularly on Greece’s detention centers and prisons. 

Overcrowding and Prison Conditions

The report paints a bleak picture of Greek prisons, where thousands are held in overcrowded and deteriorating facilities:

  • 10,526 detainees as of January 1, 2023, including:
    • 5,392 in pretrial detention
    • 1,754 serving short-term sentences
    • 797 serving life sentences
    • 2,545 undertrials

Inconsistent application of transfer laws has created vast differences in prison conditions. Additionally many detainees are denied transfers from one prison to another based on the argument that detainees failed to demonstrate “specific harm” or “immediate danger”.

Critical Healthcare Shortages

A study by the National Prevention Mechanism exposed severe healthcare failings in prisons:

  • 62% of prisons lack a permanent doctor
  • 50% have no psychologist or psychiatrist despite 90% of inmates needing mental health support
  • 47% lack private spaces for psychiatric care
  • No professional medical translation services, forcing non-Greek speaking inmates to rely on fellow prisoners
  • 108 inmate deaths over five years due to gaps in medical care

During the COVID-19 pandemic, 99% of prisons reported outbreaks, with 1,771 infections and multiple fatalities among inmates and staff. The Ombudsman has urged reforms, including electronic prescriptions and disability certifications for uninsured detainees.

Immigration Detention Centers: Inhumane Conditions

The report also highlights dire conditions in immigration detention centers, where asylum seekers and undocumented migrants face:

  • Severe overcrowding
  • Limited medical care, especially for chronic illnesses and mental health conditions
  • A lack of legal assistance, making it difficult to understand rights or seek help
  • Unhygienic living conditions, including lack of clean water, toilets, and basic necessities
  • Prolonged detention without justification, sometimes violating international human rights laws

The Ombudsman stresses that detention should only be a last resort and urges the government to explore alternative solutions like community housing.

Calls for Reform

While the introduction of Article 6A of the Penal Code provided legal remedies for prisoners, the Ombudsman warns that systemic issues cannot be solved through legal appeals alone. The report urges:

  • Judicial reforms to ensure fair treatment in prisoner appeals
  • Alternative sentencing to ease overcrowding
  • Expanded healthcare services, including more doctors, telemedicine, and mental health support

Better oversight of detention centers to comply with European and international human rights laws