Ankara: Overcrowding in Swiss prisons is leading to deteriorating detention conditions and infringing on inmates' fundamental rights, Switzerland's National Commission for the Prevention of Torture (NCPT) warned in its latest annual report released on Monday. The commission highlighted that the excessive occupancy rates in prisons are limiting prisoners' privacy, increasing the risk of violence, and undermining access to healthcare.

According to Anadolu Agency, the NCPT report emphasized that prison staff are working under growing pressure as overcrowding places additional strain on correctional facilities. The commission noted that merely expanding prison capacity would not solve the problem, calling instead for a comprehensive strategy aimed at reducing the overall number of people held in detention.

Additionally, the commission criticized Switzerland's continued use of civil defense shelters to accommodate asylum-seekers. The report pointed out that living conditions in these shelters are particularly poor due to overcrowding, a lack of natural daylight, and constant noise from ventilation systems.

The NCPT urged authorities to address both prison overcrowding and inadequate accommodation conditions for asylum-seekers through long-term structural measures rather than relying solely on increasing detention capacity.