Degrading detention conditions | Legal Assessment Form

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Reporting form for inhuman and degrading detention conditions

This form allows you to describe, in a structured way, the detention conditions of an incarcerated person. None of the questions below is mandatory: only fill in what you consider relevant to describe the detainee’s situation. Personal identifying information (name, "numéro d’écrou" — prison identification number, cell number, contact details) is not collected.

PDF OIP questionnaire

Alternatively, you may download the OIP questionnaire and send it to your relative so that they can fill it in. ("OIP" stands for "Observatoire International des Prisons" — International Prison Watch.)

✉︎ CGLPL

The "Contrôleur général des lieux de privation de liberté" ("CGLPL") is an independent authority responsible for monitoring respect for the fundamental rights of persons deprived of liberty (including detainees and individuals hospitalised without consent). You can send the content of this form directly to the CGLPL by clicking "Écrire directement au CGLPL" (“Write directly to the CGLPL”).

⚖︎ Inhuman detention conditions – instruct the firm

The firm regularly brings applications before the "juge des libertés et de la détention" (the "JLD", i.e. the judge dealing with pre-trial detention and related safeguards) in cases involving inhuman and degrading detention conditions, and has developed an internal template for a rapid and structured filing. To "saisir" (“instruct / retain”) the firm, you can book an online appointment: book online.

Relationship to the detainee / "prévenu" (e.g. parent, spouse/partner, friend, NGO, etc.)

No identifying information about you (name, contact details) is requested in this form. ("prévenu" refers to a person awaiting trial, typically held in "détention provisoire" — pre-trial detention.)

Approximate age of the detainee

Gender (optional)

Nationality

Prison / detention facility where the detainee is held

Building / wing / floor

Criminal procedural status

Expected release date (if known)

How long has the detainee been in this facility?

Detention pathway within the facility (changes of wings / cells)

Number of people in the detainee’s cell

Are there mattresses on the floor?

Is the detainee housed together with people having a different procedural status ("prévenus" / "condamnés")?

Does the detainee share the cell with smokers despite being a non-smoker (or vice versa)?

Does the detainee share the cell with people presenting psychiatric, cognitive or behavioural disorders?

Approximate cell size and ability to move around

Toilets inside the cell (separation, odours, noise, visibility)

Approximate time locked in the cell each day

Cell layout / sketch

You may draw a simplified plan of the cell below (door, bed(s), toilet, window, etc.). This sketch is not automatically attached to the email, but you can reproduce it or send it later as an attachment.

The cell sketch has been made (or will be sent separately)

Photos or scans of the cell / wing (optional)

File names will be listed in the email, but files cannot be attached automatically. They can be sent afterwards to the firm or to the CGLPL as attachments.

Condition of walls, floor, windows, furniture (beds, table, etc.)

Damp, mould, water leaks

Pests (rats, mice, cockroaches, bedbugs, others)

Pest control / disinfestation / mattress treatment (dates, frequency, effectiveness)

Impact on health (allergies, itching, respiratory issues, etc.)

Cell window (size, condition, bars/plates, can it be opened?)

Natural and artificial light (can the detainee read without difficulty?)

Ventilation (air quality, odours, feeling of suffocation)

Constant noise (shouting, doors slamming, movement in corridors, etc.)

Sleep (difficulty sleeping, waking up at night, noise, light, etc.)

Condition of bed, mattress, sheets and blankets

Access to showers (frequency, duration, cleanliness, hot water, privacy)

Personal hygiene (access to products, towels, sanitary protection, etc.)

Skin problems, itching, infections

Health issues (physical and/or mental)

Waiting times for consultations (doctor, nurse, psychiatrist, dentist, etc.)

Conditions of consultations (confidentiality, number of officers present, handcuffs, etc.)

Treatment interrupted, not provided, or changed without explanation

Support for addictions (alcohol, drugs, medication misuse, etc.)

Exercise yard ("cour de promenade") condition (size, cleanliness, toilets access, etc.)

Waiting areas (before visits, at the "greffe", medical unit, etc.)

Visit conditions ("parloir") (cleanliness, privacy, noise, searches before/after, duration)

Phone access (frequency, confidentiality, cut-offs, etc.)

Violence or threats from other detainees

Violence or ill-treatment by prison staff

Reports already made (to prison management, doctor, "juge de l’application des peines", prosecutor, etc.)

Prison work (type of job, pay, conditions)

Training or studies (or refused access)

Activities (sports, library, workshops, etc.)

Sentence adjustment / release plan (contact with "SPIP", steps taken, etc.)

Description of a “typical” day under these conditions

Key points relatives wish to bring to the firm’s or the CGLPL’s attention

Additional free comments