“Urine odors”, “rubbish on the ground”, “light preventing rest”… A report denounces the conditions of police custody in two Marseille police stations

The President of the Marseille Bar calls on the State to take “its measures” to “provide places of police custody that meet standards”.

“This is the most total state of indignity that I have seen throughout my career”, declares Me Mathieu Jacquier, president of the Marseille bar, on franceinfo, Wednesday December 27. After visiting “without warning” two Marseille police stations, in the 15th and 2nd arrondissements, he published a report to denounce the conditions of detention. He calls on the State to take “its provisions” For “provide police custody facilities that meet standards”.

“I noticed trash on the floor. Detainees who were sleeping on the floor without mattresses, without blankets, in execrable conditions. When we enter the room, a strong smell of urine, often unbearable and the presence of a light that never goes out. The room is constantly brightly lit, preventing those in custody from having the necessary rest required by law.”says the president of the bar about his visit to the North and Evêché police stations.

“Animals treated better than human beings”

Me Mathieu Jacquier says to himself “extremely shocked” by the state of these “custody jails”which he deliberately visited “impromptu, without warning”. These visits gave him “the impression that animals are treated better than human beings”.

“We must take urgent measures”

Me Mathieu Jacquier, President of the Marseille Bar

at franceinfo

After this “blatant and incontrovertible observation”the President awaits explanations from “the prefecture and possibly the Ministry of the Interior”. “We must take urgent measures”, adds Me Mathieu Jacquier. According to him, an appeal was lodged on Tuesday December 26 in the evening with the Council of the Order: “We have decided to take action against the State as a useful measure and are awaiting the summons by the administrative court to verify our statements.”

He calls for “injunctive measures” vis-à-vis the State, so that it “take steps to ensure compliance with the texts, that is to say, provide places of police custody which comply with standards”. “We are not asking for anything extraordinary, a sweep, cleanliness: it is the responsibility of the State. We are not looking for the responsibility of a particular person. It is the State which is clearly failing in his missions”concludes Mathieu Jacquier.

The State has planned a renovation plan

This finding is amended by the Bouches-du-Rhône police headquarters. More than 3,600 people have passed through the custody cells of the Bishop’s police station since the start of the year, and nearly 6,000 in that of the 15th arrondissement. That’s 10 to 16 suspects per day per cell, and some damage their jails themselves. It is impossible to be everywhere, she explains.

The State also responds that a budget of three million euros per year is used to clean and maintain the cells and that a renovation plan is planned, with a first meeting in early 2024.