Press Release
Strasbourg, 20.12.2012 - The
Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has published
today the report on its November 2011 ad hoc visit to "the former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia", together with the authorities’
response.
The 2011 visit focused on the treatment and conditions of detention of persons
held in Idrizovo Prison, which had been the subject of many recommendations
following previous visits. The report on the visit states that the practice of
some prison officers resorting to violence against inmates persisted,
inter-prisoner intimidation/violence remained a significant problem, and the
vast majority of the establishment’s inmates continued to be held in totally
unsatisfactory conditions (both material and in terms of activities). The report
states that fundamental change is required to address these serious shortcomings
and recommends the national authorities to develop a professional management
approach within prisons.
As regards persons held on
remand in Skopje and Tetovo Prisons, the report reiterates the Committee’s
long-standing recommendations to ensure all prisoners accommodated in
multi-occupancy cells each have at least 4m² of living space and that material
conditions are improved. And it criticises the regime on offer to remand
prisoners which results in them being confined to their cells for 23 hours a
day. The CPT also makes specific recommendations concerning the treatment of
juveniles held both on remand in Skopje Prison and in the “Tetovo” Educational
Correctional Institution.
In their response, the
national authorities provide information on the action taken to address the
Committee’s recommendations, notably in respect of imposing severe disciplinary
measures on prison officers using excessive use of force on inmates, and as
concerns improving the material conditions in the prisons visited.
The CPT’s report on the November 2011 visit and the
response of the national
authorities are available on the CPT's website
http://www.cpt.coe.int.
Both documents have been made public at the request of the national authorities.
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please access our page "For the press".
