By guaranteeing the physical and mental integrity of every citizen, we preserve the dignity of all of us
The prevention of torture and the fight against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and punishment is not only a matter of fulfilling Serbia's international obligations. By guaranteeing the physical and psychological integrity and dignity of every citizen, we protect the dignity of all of us, said the Protector of Citizens Zoran Pašalić today, on the occasion of 26th June, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.
Pašalić emphasized that in preventing torture and protecting the rights of persons deprived of their liberty who are in closed institutions, visits with a preventive nature and controls over the manner in which they are treated are of particular importance, as well as the manner of implementation of effective investigations into all allegations of possible abuse and the certainty of punishing the perpetrators. In Serbia, there is a tendency to improve the protection of the rights of persons deprived of their liberty, as well as to prevent torture and other forms of abuse, he added.
In the first half of this year, the Protector of Citizens, in carrying out the work of the National Preventive Mechanism, made 43 visits to places where persons deprived of their liberty are or may be located, and on the basis of the conducted visits, issued over 60 recommendations to the visited institutions and relevant ministries in order to improve material conditions in which they live, as well as health care and treatment. One of the preconditions for improving the position of persons deprived of their liberty in the Republic of Serbia is the implementation of continuous trainings of police officers on human rights and acting in accordance with applicable regulations and standards, Zoran Pašalić pointed out.