National Preventive Group continues visits to penitentiary facilities

As reported before, the National Preventive Group of the Ombudsman against Torture conducts visits to places, which persons cannot leave on their own will, within the framework of the Ombudsman’s activity as National Preventive Mechanism.

The next visit was carried out in penitentiary facility No.6 under the Penitentiary Service of the Ministry of Justice without prior notice.

Being organized on the basis of the requirements of OPCAT and the Constitutional Law on the Ombudsman, the visit was aimed at investigating detention conditions, treatment and applications received, also learning the status of ensuring the rights of convicted persons and proper documentation.

During the visit the NPG members, including a physician-member, investigated the existing situation and documentation related to nutrition, water supply, parcels, walking, meeting, phone calls, organization of medical assistance. Some shortcomings were identified with regard to the conditions of detention.

There is a need to organize psychological and social services, to expand and promote rehabilitative activity with new approaches addressed to convicts based on individual work.

In order to investigate the treatment issues, numerous randomly selected convicts were heard privately by members of the NPG in that facility.  The state of ensuring their rights, adequate documentation were investigated on site, issues raised by them and several appeals regarding medical service were ensured. Some of the received persons expressed their dissatisfaction about the conditions of detention, investigation conducted on their case and court judgments.

Legal advice was provided to each convicted person on the issues raised within the competences of the Ombudsman; their appeals were received.

At the end, legal awareness discussions were held with the administration of the facility and responsible staff members. They were given recommendations for improvement of conditions of detention, medical service and documentation in accordance with the national and international legislation, as well as European Prison Rules.

Relevant bodies will be addressed about the outcome of the visit and ensuring the appeals of the convicted persons.