A report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) highlights serious issues of physical ill-treatment at Tiszalök Prison. The report indicates that staff was involved in violent incidents, including punches and truncheon blows, and that some staff members allegedly allowed or instructed prisoners to mistreat their cellmates.
Overcrowding and limited resources have also adversely affected the prison environment, leaving many prisoners, especially those in high security, without access to work, education, or other out-of-cell activities.
This assessment stems from the CPT’s visit to Hungary in May 2023. Unlike Tiszalök, Székesfehérvár Prison had no allegations of physical ill-treatment, and only a few isolated claims were reported from Nyíregyháza Prison. The ill-treatment at Tiszalök reportedly occurred in areas without CCTV surveillance, such as the storage room, medical consultation room, communal showers, and individual cells.
Racist remarks and sexual harassment
Most individuals interviewed by the delegation reported no complaints about police treatment; however, there were several credible allegations of physical ill-treatment, including excessively tight handcuffing, sexual harassment of female detainees, and verbal abuse, including racist remarks and humiliating comments toward transgender individuals.
The material conditions in police detention facilities were adequate for short stays (up to 72 hours). Still, individuals remanded in custody can be held for up to 60 days, making these conditions unsuitable for extended periods.
In visits to two psychiatric establishments—Flór Ferenc Hospital in Kistarcsa and Gróf Tisza István Hospital in Berettyóújfalu—there were no allegations of patient mistreatment, and conditions were generally adequate. However, environments were austere and lacked personal touches. At Gróf Tisza István Hospital, patient rooms housed up to nine individuals, compromising privacy. Furthermore, patients in closed wards had little access to outdoor areas, which is unacceptable. The CPT stresses that all patients should have unrestricted access to outdoor exercise unless required to remain on the ward for scheduled activities.
Law nursing staff level
Nursing staff levels were low in both institutions, negatively affecting their operations. This included an inability to address inter-patient violence, limited access to outdoor exercise, patient involvement in care, and frequent use of restraint.
At Flór Ferenc Hospital, involuntary patient placements generally followed legal provisions. However, at Gróf Tisza István Hospital, formally voluntary patients were often placed in locked wards and were not allowed to leave if staff deemed continued hospitalisation necessary. The CPT felt these patients were effectively deprived of their liberty without the legal protections for involuntary admissions.
The report notes that Hungarian authorities should ensure that the appropriate involuntary placement procedures are fully implemented for voluntary patients when necessary. The visit also highlighted ongoing immigration issues, particularly the lack of legal protections against informal forcible removals (pushbacks) and refoulement, including chain refoulement.
