Visit to "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture

STRASBOURG, 31.10.2001 - A delegation of the COUNCIL OF EUROPE Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has recently carried out a six-day ad hoc visit to "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia". The visit began on 21 October 2001. It was the Committee's second visit to "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia".

The visit was carried out by two members of the CPT, Silvia CASALE, a British criminologist and President of the Committee (Head of the delegation), and Davor STRINOVIĆ, a Croatian forensic doctor. They were assisted by Dan DERMENGIU, Associate Professor, Chair of Forensic Medicine Department, Medical Faculty "Carol Davila", Bucharest, Romania (expert), Mark KELLY, Director, Human Rights Consultants (expert), as well as by Bojana URUMOVA and Michael KELLETT of the CPT's Secretariat.

In the course of its visit, the delegation met Ilinka MITREVA, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, as well as senior officials from the Ministries of Justice, the Interior, and Foreign Affairs. It also met three judges from the Supreme Court - Fidančo STOEV, Liljana RISTOVA-INGILIZOVA, and Aleksandar BOŠNJAKOVSKI - as well as the Prosecutor-General, Stavre DŽIKOV.

The principal purpose of the visit was to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty by the law enforcement agencies (Ministry of the Interior), an issue which had recently been the subject of close consultations between the CPT and the national authorities. The delegation visited several police establishments and also interviewed a considerable number of persons who had recently been in police custody. In addition, the delegation reviewed specific police-related issues which had been the subject of recommendations following the CPT's first visit to "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", and examined the efficacy of existing legal remedies in cases involving allegations of ill-treatment.

The delegation visited the following establishments under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior:

• Kočani Police Station

• Kumanovo Police Station

• Bit Pazar Police Station, Skopje

• Čair Police Station, Skopje

• Centar Police Station, Skopje

• Gazi Baba Police Station, Skopje

• Karpoš Police Station, Skopje

• Kisela Voda Police Station, Skopje

• Štip Police Station

• Tetovo Police Station

The delegation also went to the remand sections of Skopje and Štip Prisons in order to gather further information relating to deprivation of liberty by the police.

 In accordance with Article 11 of the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the information gathered by the CPT during its visit to "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" and its consultations with the national authorities are confidential.

The CPT was set up under the 1987 European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. 41 of the 43 member States of the Council of Europe are bound by the Convention: Albania, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, "the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. When they joined the Council of Europe in January 2001, Armenia and Azerbaijan undertook to ratify the Convention within one year.

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The CPT is composed of persons from a variety of backgrounds: lawyers, medical doctors, police and prison experts, persons with parliamentary experience, etc. The Committee’s task is to examine the treatment of persons deprived of their liberty. For this purpose, it is entitled to visit any place where such persons are held by a public authority and to interview those persons in private. The Committee may formulate recommendations to strengthen, if necessary, their protection against torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The CPT organises periodic visits as well as other visits which appear to it to be required in the circumstances.

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Further information about the CPT may be obtained from: