News Flash
Council of Europe anti-torture Committee publishes report on
Serbia
Strasbourg, 14.01.2009 – The Council of Europe's Committee for the prevention
of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (CPT) has published
today the report on its periodic visit to
Serbia in 2007, together with the Serbian authorities’
response. These documents have been made
public at the request of the Serbian Government.
During the 2007 visit, a number of allegations of physical ill-treatment of
persons detained by the police were received. The CPT has made a series of
recommendations to address this issue, as well as to improve the practical
implementation of fundamental safeguards against ill-treatment, such as access
to a lawyer (including for detained juveniles), access to a doctor and access to
an interpreter for detained foreign nationals.
As regards prisons, the delegation received almost no allegations of
ill-treatment of inmates by staff at Sremska Mitrovica Correctional Institution,
and only a few allegations at Belgrade District Prison. This contrasted with the
situation at Požarevac-Zabela Correctional Institution, where a number of recent
allegations of physical ill-treatment were received. The CPT has recommended
measures aimed at decreasing tension in the last-mentioned establishment, in
particular in the high security unit and the remand section.
The CPT observed disturbing levels of overcrowding in all the prison
establishments visited, especially in sections for remand prisoners. The
Committee has taken note of the ongoing and planned refurbishment and expansion
projects concerning various prisons and has called upon the Serbian authorities
to devise, as a matter of high priority, a comprehensive and fully-budgeted
refurbishment programme for Belgrade District Prison. The situation was
exacerbated by the absence of constructive activities for prisoners in remand
sections, and the inadequate provision of purposeful activities and work
opportunities for sentenced prisoners. On a more positive note, the CPT welcomed
the ongoing refurbishment of the Special Prison Hospital.
Turning to psychiatry, hardly any allegations of physical ill-treatment of
patients by staff were received at the Specialised Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital in
Kovin. However, inter-patient violence was a problem. In addition, the CPT has
expressed concern about the frequent resort to mechanical restraints in the
establishment, sometimes for prolonged periods. As regards safeguards
surrounding involuntary placement, the Committee found that they remain
unsatisfactory and has made recommendations to improve the situation. In the
light of the poor material conditions found in the Kovin Hospital, the CPT has
also recommended that the establishment be the subject of a comprehensive
refurbishment programme. More generally, the Committee welcomed the adoption, in
2007, of a Strategy for the Development of Mental Health Care aimed at reducing
the size or closing down some of the psychiatric hospitals in Serbia, and
developing community care; the CPT has encouraged the Serbian authorities to
implement these plans as a matter of priority.
No allegations of ill-treatment were received at the Special Institution for
Children and Juveniles in Stamnica. However, instances of inter-resident
violence were observed, which was hardly surprising given the combination of
severe overcrowding and low staffing levels in various parts of the
establishment. The CPT has expressed particular concerns about the living
conditions and lack of activities in Pavilions 1 to 6 (the “upper zone”) and
made recommendations on this issue. More generally, the CPT has recommended that
steps be taken to reorganise the system for provision of care to persons with
mental disabilities, as well as to improve the legal safeguards surrounding the
placement of people in specialised institutions.
In their response, the Serbian authorities provide information on the measures
being taken to address the issues raised in the CPT’s report.
The CPT's visit report and the
response of the Serbian authorities are
available on the Committee's website
http://www.cpt.coe.int
- A "CPT Video-kit" is available for the audiovisual press. For more details
please access our page "For the press".
