BackThe Report on the Performance of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for 2019 contains an overview and analysis of the state of human rights of persons deprived of liberty and with restricted freedom of movement, as well as NPM ctivities focused on preventing torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Like the previous reports, it is based on data collected through unannounced visits, citizens’ complaints and cases opened on our own initiative, and contains 19 recommendations which we addressed to competent bodies for elimination of systemic problems.
Although in 2019 we again observed no practices that might represent torture, we did note practices that might be inhuman or degrading. Hence, it is important to continue to implement well-designed and effective activities in order to avert such practices altogether. Overcrowding remains a significant problem within the prison system, while the living conditions in many places of detention are still inadequate, in some are degrading, or even dangerous to health.
During 2019, we acted in a total of 203 cases, issuing 35 warnings, recommendations and suggestions. In 25 cases, where directly establishing the facts and circumstances was necessary to determine whether the complaints were founded, we conducted field investigations. As in previous years, the most frequent cause for complaint was healthcare, followed by accommodation conditions, prison officers’ conduct and use of privileges. Prisoners frequently turn to us due to the ineffectiveness of legal remedies, as well as with requests for help getting transferred, while there have also been many complaints involving problems in multiple areas.
Some of the reasons we took action during the last year regarding the work of police relate to the unprofessional and unethical conduct towards citizens, overstepping authority when depriving persons of liberty, as well as the ineffectiveness of police investigations. Citizens have continued to draw our attention to the difficulties they encounter when trying to file a criminal charge with the police, an issue which we also raised with the relevant parliamentary committee. Persons with mental health problems most frequently complained about forced detention and placement in psychiatric care wards, about means of coercion, and accommodation conditions.
Source: Office of the Croatian People's Ombudswoman
