-64.
With rare exceptions, the degree of cooperation displayed towards CPT delegations remained
satisfactory, at both national and local level. This favourable situation is certainly due in part to the continuing
practice of organising information seminars on the activities of the Committee in States which have recently
become Parties to the Convention. In the course of 1997, such seminars were held in Kyiv, Prague and Tirana.1
5.
It should be added, however, that on occasion the CPT was not supplied in good time with complete
lists of places of detention. This was particularly the case as regards police establishments. In this respect, the
Committee wishes to recall the obligation placed on Parties by Article 8, paragraph 2(b) of the Convention to
provide full information on places where persons are deprived of their liberty.
B.
Meetings and follow-up of visits
6.
The CPT held three plenary sessions during 1997, in the course of which thirteen visit reports were
adopted: on visits to Denmark, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Turkey in 1996 and to the Czech Republic,
Estonia, Greece, Luxembourg, Norway and Spain (two visits) in 1997. The number of visit reports adopted
increased substantially as compared to 1996, notwithstanding the reduction of the number of plenary sessions
from four to three. In other words, the new accelerated procedure for the examination of visit reports referred
to in the 7th General Report has proven a success.
There can be no question of reducing further the number of plenary sessions; for operational reasons,
the existing four-month gap between sessions is the maximum tolerable. However, the CPT shall continue its
efforts to streamline decision-making at plenary level, and to work increasingly in smaller groups during
"plenary" sessions. Practically all pre-visit work by visiting delegations is already carried out in the context of
plenary sessions, and more and more specific tasks are being assigned to working parties.
7.
As regards the ongoing dialogue between the CPT and Parties to the Convention, the Committee
indicated in the 7th General Report that it intended to give more life to this process, in particular by developing
the practice of face-to-face discussions on matters of concern between State authorities and representatives of
the Committee. There is no substitute for direct contact when it comes to settling issues which are often
complex and sometimes very sensitive for the authorities concerned. Moreover, a short stay by a very small
delegation, limited to discussions at Governmental level - and thus having very few financial implications - can
achieve results which render a visit by the Committee unnecessary.
Reference can be made in this context to talks held in Spain in July 1997 between a Government
delegation led by the Secretary of State for Security and a CPT delegation led by the Committee's President.
Talks of a similar nature were held in Rome in February 1998.
The initiative taken by certain Parties to forward draft laws or regulations to the CPT for its comments
is another facet of the on-going dialogue process which could be further developed.
1
To date in 1998, similar information meetings have been held in Chişinău, Skopje and Zagreb.