Key Elements
In light of the number of hours spent in cells or dormitories on a daily basis, the conditions of accommodation have a considerable impact on the experience of deprivation of liberty. The minimum standards of these conditions must be compatible with human dignity.
The architecture of the place of detention, and in particular the design of the cells, must contribute to guaranteeing the safety of the people housed there and ensure that each individual has some privacy.
Cells and dormitories should be equipped with bathrooms and toilets and include basic furniture, in good condition, to make life in detention bearable.
Overcrowding, together with material conditions of accommodation that are below standard, may lead to situations of ill-treatment or even torture.