The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published a report on its ad hoc visit to Bulgaria, carried out from 16 to 23 September 2024, together with the response of the Bulgarian authorities. The aim of the visit was to assess the putting into practice of the CPT's long-standing recommendations concerning the treatment and conditions of detention of foreign nationals deprived of their liberty pursuant to aliens legislation.
Despite very good co-operation received during the visit, the Committee regrets to note that, in many respects (such as material conditions, activities, health-care services, information, interpretation, legal assistance and contact with the outside world), the situation observed in the establishments visited was the same or even worse than that described in the report on the 2018 ad hoc visit.
The Bulgarian authorities should take the necessary measures to stop the ill-treatment and prevent further "pushbacks"; that is, forcibly returning irregular migrants arriving at the border or present in the territory of Bulgaria, without any prior individualised screening with a view to identifying persons in need of protection, the CPT says in its report.
The report is published under the automatic publication procedure, in accordance with the agreement with the Bulgarian authorities. In their response, the Bulgarian authorities provide information on the measures taken to implement the CPT's recommendations.
