UN anti-torture body slams UK, Greece, Argentina

A United Nations anti-torture body has criticised Britain for the "unsatisfactory" conditions in its prisons, including a "substantial number of deaths in custody", and urged it to act at once to improve them.

The UN Committee Against Torture, reviewing British compliance with an international treaty outlawing inhuman and degrading treatment, also expressed concern at parts of an anti-terrorism law which allows "potentially indefinite detention" of foreigners without trial.

It called on the British government to study "as a matter of urgency" alternatives to the sweeping powers to imprison any foreigner suspected of involvement in international terrorism given by the 2001 Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act.

The committee of 10 experts said there were reports of "unsatisfactory conditions" in British prisons, including "substantial numbers of deaths in custody, inter-prisoner violence, overcrowding..."

It was the fourth time the Geneva-based committee had focused on Britain as part of its regular scrutiny of the 138 states to have ratified the 1984 treaty.

At the November session which ended on Friday, it also took up the cases of Greece and Argentina.

Athens was reprimanded for its lack of an "effective, independent system" to handle complaints that allegations of torture had not been investigated properly.

The committee also expressed concern that those who brought such complaints were not given adequate protection against the risk of retaliation and intimidation.

It also took Greece to task for "overcrowding and poor conditions" in its prisons and drew attention to the perceived "reluctance" of the Greek authorities to bring in laws against violence to women, notably in the home.

In Argentina, there were "numerous" allegations of torture and cruel treatment, which appeared to be used "habitually" by security and police forces, the committee said in its findings.

At the same time there were very few examples of anybody being condemned for such acts, it said.

"The disparity between the high number of denunciations for acts of torture and cruel treatment and the very few convictions for such acts... contributes to a climate of impunity," it said.

- REUTERS