A European report describes the conditions of detention in Nuuk prison and denounces a number of shortcomings, while also describing its positive aspects.
“The atmosphere seemed fairly relaxed,” describes a May 12 report by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), about a visit to Nuuk prison in Greenland last January.
With a capacity of 76 people, including 40 closed and 36 open cells, the building overlooks the Nuup fjord, but some of its 10 m² cells, with televisions, fridges and showers, are overcrowded: 5 individual cells are occupied by two people.
“Overcrowding is unacceptable and jeopardizes the safety, legal security and well-being of staff and inmates,” says Naaja H. Nathanielsen, Minister of Justice, Business, Minerals, Energy, Justice Sector and Equality, in a statement issued by the Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut.
The CPT advises the authorities to use a wider range of measures and sanctions to avoid overcrowding. It also advises against using the prison as a relief valve for the town’s police station.
The overcrowding of the prison not only forces remand prisoners and convicts to live together, but also women and men. This limits the use of common areas and telephone facilities, the report states. According to the authors, inter-prisoner violence: “did not appear to be a major problem in the facility.”
Built in 2019, this prison houses remand prisoners, such as Paul Watson, as well as convicts in Unit A. Prior to its construction, Greenland had no closed units on its soil, only night prisons.
For the most serious cases, convicts were incarcerated in Herstedvester prison in Denmark. Since 2019, inmates from the latter have moved to Nuuk to be closer “to their cultural and linguistic environment”, describes the report.
Some inmates claim to have asked to change location because Nuuk has no libido suppression program. For this type of treatment, the rapporteurs highlight a passage from the 2008 report on Herstedvester prison concerning problems of consent, and advise that psychological therapies be stepped up, both in Denmark and in Nuuk.
Psychologists, doctors and nurses are understaffed at this detention center, according to the reporters. They believe that there should be more and better-trained custodial staff.
On May 7, the Greenlandic Minister and the Danish Minister of Justice, Peter Hummelgaard, met to discuss the results of the inspection. “I have the impression that the Danish government hopes to find a solution to the problem as soon as possible”, says Naaja H. Nathanielsen. “Better employment frameworks are needed to create a real basis for the resocialization of prisoners.”
The CPT was pleasantly surprised to see that “all convicted prisoners can work or study, and that they can also take up arts and crafts.”
Those awaiting trial don’t have as many options, other than housework, as we imagine was the case for Paul Watson.