(Prisons - Size of the cell)
European Court of Human Rights
24 July 2001
Facts
The applicant, Mr. Valašinas, was serving his prison sentence. His cell was a 92 square meter dormitory which he shared with approximately 20 other inmates. During the daytime he could move freely within his prison unit, which consisted of a leisure room, the kitchen, sanitation areas and the open courtyard.
Complaint
Mr. Valašinas alleged that the conditions in his prison amounted to degrading treatment in breach of Article 3 of the Convention.
Court’s ruling
The Court reiterated that Article 3 of the Convention enshrines one of the most fundamental values of democratic society. It prohibits in absolute terms torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, irrespective of the circumstances and the victim’s behavior. State must ensure that a person is detained in conditions which are compatible with respect for his human dignity, that the manner and method of the execution of the measure do not subject him to distress or hardship of an intensity exceeding the unavoidable level of suffering inherent in detention. The Court noted that Mr. Valašinas was allocated approximately 5 m2 of space in the dormitory. This figure in Court’s view had to be viewed in the context of the wide freedom of movement enjoyed by Mr. Valašinas during the day. Taking into account that other conditions were also adequate the Court concluded that the general detention conditions did not attain the minimum level of severity that could amount to degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 3 of the Convention.