“The Administration informs that, in case of extradition to the Republic of Latvia, [de opgeëiste persoon] will be initially placed in the investigation prison unit of the Riga Central Prison. The person's placement will then be determined in accordance with the criteria set out in the laws and regulations referred to below in this letter, as well as taking into account the location of the person directing the proceedings.
(…)
In response to questions 3 and 4.
(…)
A 24-hour surveillance system is in place, including CCTV and regular staff checks. If there is a risk of violence or degrading treatment, the detainee is immediately transferred to another cell. Officials of the places of detention conduct regular checks of prisoners' cells, thus systematically controlling and monitoring prisoners (e.g., behavior, injuries, cell atmosphere) and that, in the event of a threat, prisoners have the possibility to apply to an official and ask for help or protection.
(…)
In response to questions 7 and 12, the Administration informs: On 11 January 2024 the European Court of Human Rights handed down its judgement in the case "D. v. Latvia", concluding that there had been a violation of the rights guaranteed by Section 3 (prohibition of torture and inhuman treatment) of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. The Court held that the public authorities had not acted sufficiently to address the informal hierarchy of prisoners, established in places of detention. Therefore, the Ministry of Justice drafted and the Cabinet of Ministers approved on 8 October 2024 (Minutes No. 41, §33 ) the informative report "On action to reduce the informal hierarchy of prisoners in places of detention". This report describes the significant improvements of the execution of incarceration already implemented since the events described in the judgement (during the period from 2008 -2017) and contains a comprehensive action plan for the execution of the incarceration, identifying the current situation in places of deprivation of liberty, the measures necessary for the execution of judgement, including measures to address the matters related to inadequacy of prison infrastructure, increase in the number and capacity of prison staff and filling of vacancies, and improvement of the resocialisation system.
The action plan included in the report summarises measures already implemented and still to be implemented in the following areas:
1 Measures for capacity building of the staff of the Prison Administration
(…)
2. Further development of the system for the re-socialisation of prisoners (in line with the Govemment's earlier guidelines for the development of the Resocialisation Policy.
(…)
3. Measures for the infrastructure improvement in places of detention.
(…)
4. Measures to improve training of judges.
(…)
Prisoners also have the right to lodge complaints with both the prison management and external monitoring mechanisms, such as the Ombudsman of the Republic of Latvia, which carries out independent monitoring.
In the light of the above, the places of detention in the Republic of Latvia ensure that prisoners are not subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment and that all relevant guarantees under national as and well as international regulations are respected. When executing any type of criminal sentence as well as a security measure – arrest – the established guarantees against inhuman of degrading treatment of a prisoner are insured in places of detention of the Republic of Latvia. The management of the prisons in the Republic of Latvia shall ensure that sentences are carried out lawfully and without unlawful or degrading treatment of prisoners.
(…)