2014 Overview of the Chancellor of Justice Activities
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
2014 OVERVIEW OF THE CHANCELLOR OF JUSTICE ACTIVITIES Chancellor of Justice as National Preventive Mechanism Chancellor of Justice as Ombudsman for Children Principle of Equality and Equal Treatment Statistics of Proceedings Tallinn 2015 OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR OF JUSTICE KOHTU 8 15193 TALLINN Tel: 693 8400 Fax: 693 8401 www.oiguskantsler.ee www.lasteombudsman.ee Translation: Margus Puusepp 2 CONTENTS PART I ...................................................................................................................................... 5 CHANCELLOR OF JUSTICE AS NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM ............ 5 I. INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 6 II. PREVENTION OF ILL-TREATMENT IN PLACES OF DETENTION ................ 15 1. Police detention facilities ........................................................................................... 15 2. Accommodation Centre for Asylum Seekers ............................................................. 17 3. Prisons ........................................................................................................................ 19 4. The Defence Forces.................................................................................................... 26 5. Providers of rehabilitation services for children with addiction problems ................ 26 6. Providers of involuntary emergency psychiatric care ................................................ 33 7. Providers of 24-hour special care services ................................................................. 37 8. Providers of nursing care services.............................................................................. 41 PART II ................................................................................................................................... 45 CHANCELLOR OF JUSTICE AS OMBUDSMAN FOR CHILDREN ........................... 45 I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 46 II. PROCEEDINGS ........................................................................................................ 48 1. Separation of children from the family, organisation of the life of children separated from the family, and visiting rights of the parents of children separated from the family ......................................................................................................................... 49 2. Restriction of the rights of parents in a custodial institution and their children ........ 51 3. Activities of local authorities in organising the life of children in alternative care ... 53 4. Opinion on the Draft Child Protection Act ................................................................ 54 5. Verification of constitutionality of the new Child Protection Act ............................. 55 III. INSPECTION VISITS .............................................................................................. 58 1. The number of staff in families .................................................................................. 58 2. Qualification of the staff ............................................................................................ 58 3. Placement of children in families ............................................................................... 59 4. The location and equipment of the living rooms of children ..................................... 59 5. Catering of children.................................................................................................... 60 IV. PROMOTING THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD ....................................................... 61 1. Informational brochure „Bullying-free School“ ........................................................ 61 2. Conference „Bullying-free Education“ ...................................................................... 61 3. „Bullying-free School“ homepage ............................................................................. 62 4. Address of the Ombudsman for Children to school managers .................................. 62 5. The merit award „With Children and For Children“ ................................................. 62 3 6. Discussion groups „Minu esimesed triibulised“ organised by the Ombudsman for Children, the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre and Eduard Vilde Museum ..... 63 7. Special programme on the rights of the child at the festival Just Film ...................... 63 8. Advisory committee to the Ombudsman for Children ............................................... 64 9. Domestic cooperation................................................................................................. 65 10. International cooperation ........................................................................................... 65 11. Participation in the activities of other institutions...................................................... 65 12. Homepage and Facebook profile ............................................................................... 65 13. The conference Good School as Values-based School. How to End Bullying in Schools? ..................................................................................................................... 66 14. Lectures, presentations and speeches ......................................................................... 66 15. Articles, opinions, interviews ..................................................................................... 68 PART III ................................................................................................................................. 70 THE PRINCIPLE OF EQUALITY AND EQUAL TREATMENT .................................. 70 1. General outline ........................................................................................................... 71 2. Conformity of legislation of general application with the Constitution .................... 71 3. General fundamental right to equality, and discrimination ........................................ 73 PART IV .................................................................................................................................. 76 STATISTICS OF PROCEEDINGS ..................................................................................... 76 1. General outline of statistics of proceedings ............................................................... 77 2. Opinions of the Chancellor of Justice ........................................................................ 78 3. Distribution of cases by respondents.......................................................................... 83 4. Distribution of cases by areas of law ......................................................................... 84 5. Distribution of cases by regions ................................................................................. 86 6. Language of proceedings ........................................................................................... 86 7. Inspection visits .......................................................................................................... 87 8. Reception of individuals ............................................................................................ 88 4 PART I CHANCELLOR OF JUSTICE AS NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM 5 I. INTRODUCTION The Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) was adopted on 18 December 2002. Estonia signed the Protocol on 21 September 2004 and it entered into force in respect of Estonia on 17 January 2007. In Estonia, the Chancellor of Justice performs the functions of the national preventive mechanism since 18 February 2007.1 What constitutes the right not to be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (hereinafter also called ill-treatment) was explained in more detail in the Chancellor of Justice 2010 Overview2. In his previous overviews the Chancellor also pointed out that the earlier definition of torture under the Penal Code was not essentially in line with the internationally recognised approach. The absence of a proper definition of torture in the Estonian penal law was also repeatedly criticised by the United Nations as well as the Council of Europe Committee against Torture and other international organisations.3 The Chancellor can note with satisfaction that in 2014 amendments under the Act for amending the Penal Code and the relating legislation were introduced, repealing the previous provision on torture (§ 122 Penal Code). Under the Penal Code entering into effect on 1 January 2015 the definition of torture conforming to the international concept was established, while also maintaining other definitions of closely related offences (see §§ 2901, 121, 312, 324). In addition, the definition of torture now also includes causing of mental pain or suffering. Previously, the European Court of Human Rights has found a violation of Article 3 (establishing a prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention on the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms by Estonia on five occasions.4 In 2014, one more judgment to this effect was made.5 Under the Optional Protocol, places of detention mean all places where persons are or may be deprived of their liberty, either by virtue of an order given by a public authority or at its instigation or with its consent or acquiescence (Article