News Flash
Council of Europe anti-torture Committee publishes report on
Slovenia
Strasbourg, 15.02.2008 – The Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention
of Torture (CPT) has today published the report
on its third periodic visit to Slovenia in February 2006, together with the
Slovenian authorities’ response. Both
documents have been made public at the request of the Slovenian Government.
The majority of the persons interviewed during the visit indicated that they had
been treated by the police in a correct manner. Nevertheless, a few allegations
of physical ill-treatment by police officers were received, which concerned
mainly the time of apprehension and less frequently subsequent questioning. The
CPT has recommended that the Slovenian authorities remind police officers,
through appropriate means and at regular intervals, that the ill-treatment of
detainees (whether of a physical or verbal nature) is not acceptable and will be
the subject of severe sanctions. The report also criticises the practice of
restraining of detained persons in a hyper-extended position with hand and ankle
cuffs linked together behind the back.
As regards prisons, most inmates interviewed by the delegation considered that
prison staff treated them correctly. However, the CPT’s delegation received
several allegations of physical ill-treatment by staff at Koper and Ljubljana
prisons. Further, the CPT was concerned by the lack of progress as regards
remand prisoners’ conditions of detention. Overcrowding continued to be an issue
in the remand section at Ljubljana Prison, and remand prisoners were not offered
anything which remotely resembled a programme of activities. Conditions at Ig
Prison were in general satisfactory, and they were of a good standard at Koper
Prison and Radeče Re-education Centre for young persons
No allegations of ill-treatment were received at the Fužine Home for Elderly
Persons in Ljubljana. The CPT was impressed by the commitment of staff to
providing the best possible care. Further, living conditions were of a high
standard. As regards treatment, the CPT has recommended an increase in the range
of therapeutic, rehabilitative and recreational activities, which will require
more qualified staff.
In their response, the Slovenian authorities provide information on the measures
being taken to address the concerns raised in the CPT’s report.
The CPT’s visit report and the
response of the Slovenian Government are
available in English on the CPT’s website: http://www.cpt.coe.int
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please access our page "For the press".
