06 January 2004

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Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee visits Bulgaria

2003 news

2002 news

Related information:
BHC Social Care Campaign

More information:
Committee for the Prevention of Torture web site

06.01.2004 - A delegation of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) recently carried out a seven-day visit to Bulgaria. The visit began on 16 December 2003 and was the Committee's fourth visit to Bulgaria.

The purpose of the visit was to review the situation of persons placed by the public authorities in homes for adults with mental disorders and for children with mental retardation. Such establishments had already been visited by the CPT in the past, and the conditions observed there were of deep concern to the Committee (CPT/Inf (2002) 1).

The CPT's delegation consisted of Ingrid LYCKE ELLINGSEN, a Norwegian psychiatrist, Eric SVANIDZE, a Georgian lawyer, and Petya NESTOROVA of the Committee's Secretariat.

The delegation visited the following places:

- Home for women with mental disorders in the village of Razdol, Strumyani municipality

- Home for men with mental disorders in the village of Pastra, Rila municipality

- Home for children and juveniles with mental retardation in the village of Vidrare, Pravets municipality.

In the course of its visit, the CPT's delegation met Ivanka HRISTOVA, Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Policy, and Petko SALCHEV, Deputy Minister of Health.

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