The security measures in the Extra Secure Institution in Vught where Ridouan Taghi, among others, is detained are “excessive”. This has been concluded by the Anti-Torture Committee (CPT) of the Council of Europe after the periodic visit in May last year. report published Friday. In order to prevent “solitary confinement”, the committee says it is necessary that conditions improve, and that detainees have opportunities for “sufficient meaningful human contact”.
Security measures in Dutch prisons have increased rapidly in recent years to reduce the risk of black criminals escaping and to prevent continued criminal acts in detention. The Council for the Administration of Criminal Justice and Youth Protection (RSJ) also stated in March that the rights of detainees in harsh regimes are under pressure. The Ministry of Justice and Security is said to lack a careful approach.
The CPT makes several concrete recommendations to the Dutch authorities to improve. Detainees in EBI also have the right to sometimes talk to fellow sufferers, to move outside their cells from time to time and to do useful activities. In response to the recommendations, the Dutch government states that detainees may only participate in educational activities if this is consistent with their length of stay and their ‘personal characteristics’.
The Dutch government also dismisses the idea that prisoners in highly secured institutions are not given enough space for human contact. “Meaningful contact is allowed in the form of telephone conversations and visits.” Detainees are allowed to call for ten minutes a week and their intimates are allowed to visit once a week.
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