Report on the visit to Bulgaria carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 4 to 10 May 2012 is already published officialy on the website of Council of Europe.
In pursuance of Article 7 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as “the Convention”), a delegation of the CPT visited Bulgaria from 4 to 10 May 20121.
The visit was one which appeared to the CPT “to be required in the circumstances” (cf. Article 7, paragraph 1, of the Convention). In the report on the 2010 visit, the CPT made several recommendations concerning the treatment and conditions of detention of persons held in Varna Prison. The information provided in the response of the Bulgarian authorities did not alleviate the Committee’s concerns about the above-mentioned issues and certain other problems highlighted in the report.
In addition, the Committee has recently received reports pointing to ever-worsening conditions in Varna Prison as well as to very poor conditions of detention in Burgas Prison, an establishment last visited by the CPT in 2002. The CPT therefore decided to visit Bulgaria in order to examine on the spot the steps taken by the authorities to implement the relevant recommendations of the Committee contained in the reports on previous visits, and in particular to examine the current treatment and conditions of detention of inmates held at Burgas and Varna Prisons.
The Bulgarian Government has requested the publication of this report
and of its response.
You can download a pdf. version below: