Friday, 3 February 2012
In the procedure of controlling the legality and regularity of work of the Penitentiary-Correctional Institute Pоžаrеvаc – Zаbеlа of the Directorate for Execution of Penitentiary Sanctions of the Ministry of Justice, the Protector of Citizens established errors in work consisting of the violation of mental and physical integrity of the prisoner А.B.
The Protector of Citizens established that the prisoner А. B. was subjected to torture by the officials of the Penitentiary-Correctional Institute Pоžаrеvаc – Zаbеlа, that his injuries were not recorded in the official records, that the Prison Governor was not informed thereof, and that he was not examined by a medical doctor despite visible bodily injuries.
Based on the established deficiencies, the Protector of Citizens ordered the Penitentiary-Correctional Institute Pоžаrеvаc – Zаbеlа to take all available measures to establish the responsibility of the officials for committed violence against the prisoner А.B., for failing to record inflicted bodily injuries and to inform the Prison Governor about committed torture and for failure to provide medical care.
The Protector of Citizens recommended to the Penitentiary-Correctional Institute Pоžаrеvаc – Zаbеlа to protect, in its future work, the right of all persons deprived of liberty to inviolability of mental and physical integrity and to take all available measures to prevent torture or any other form of abuse. In its future work, this institute will also record each individual case of inflicting bodily injuries to persons deprived of liberty, inform immediately the Prison Governor thereof and take the injured person to a medical examination without delay.
The Penitentiary-Correctional Institute Pоžаrеvаc – Zаbеlа is obliged to inform the Protector of Citizens, within 60 days, about the implementation of received recommendation.
The Protector of Citizens informed the Higher Public Prosecutor in Pоžаrеvac about the data collected in the procedure of controlling the legality and regularity of work of the Penitentiary-Correctional Institute Pоžаrеvаc – Zаbеlа.