Human rights commissioner Maria Stylianou Lottides on Tuesday gave her stamp of approval to the Ayia Skepi therapeutic community, which coordinates rehabilitation programmes for people suffering from substance addictions, saying the centre “operates in a climate of respect for human dignity”.

In her latest report on the centre, she said it operates “in line with the principles relating to the protection of the human rights of people with addiction disorders, and, in particular, with the international standards established by the United Nations and the World Health Organisation for the treatment of drug use disorders”.

To this end, she said that from the unannounced visits to the centre by people from her office, the “general picture” is that “continuous efforts are being made to ensure the quality of services and to provide personalised support to all guests without exception”.

That support, she said, is “based on respect for their personality and needs”, so that patients can, “after completing their treatment, smoothly reintegrate into society and have as little a chance of relapse as possible”.

She said the accommodation’s conditions “are appropriate” and “meet the minimum requirements of dignified living”, and that the services provided and therapeutic programmes are governed by a climate of trust, without stigmatisation or prejudice and with the active participation of the beneficiaries in the therapeutic process.

The report is to be submitted to Education Minister Athena Michaelidou, while a copy will also be sent to Ayia Skepi director Tina Pavlou.