CPT/Inf (2006) 18 Report to the Government of Serbia and Montenegro on the visit to Serbia and Montenegro carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 16 to 28 September 2004 The Government of Serbia and Montenegro has requested the publication of this report and of its interim response. The Government's response is set out in document CPT/Inf (2006) 19. Strasbourg, 18 May 2006 - 2 - CONTENTS COPY OF THE LETTER TRANSMITTING THE CPT’S REPORT .........................................6 PREFACE ...........................................................................................................................................7 I. INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................9 A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation ..............................................................9 B. Establishments visited.............................................................................................................10 C. Context of the visit ..................................................................................................................11 D. Consultations held by the CPT’s delegation.........................................................................12 E. Cooperation between the CPT and the authorities of Serbia and Montenegro ................12 F. Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5, of the Convention .......................13 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ..............................14 PART 1: ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE UNION OF SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO ........................................14 PART 2: ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA........................................................................................16 A. Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior ..................................16 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................16 2. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment..........................................................................17 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................21 a. introduction ............................................................................................................21 b. situation in the establishments visited....................................................................21 4. Safeguards against the ill-treatment of persons deprived of their liberty........................23 a. introduction ............................................................................................................23 b. notification of custody............................................................................................23 c. access to a lawyer...................................................................................................24 d. access to a doctor ...................................................................................................25 e. information on rights..............................................................................................26 - 3 - f. custody records.......................................................................................................26 g. conduct of interrogations........................................................................................27 h. complaints and inspection procedures ...................................................................28 5. Reception Centre for Foreigners at Padinska Skela ........................................................29 a. introduction ............................................................................................................29 b. ill-treatment ............................................................................................................30 c. conditions of detention...........................................................................................31 d. health care ..............................................................................................................32 e. information to foreign nationals.............................................................................33 f. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................33 g. discipline/security ..................................................................................................34 h. other issues .............................................................................................................34 B. Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Justice ..........................................35 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................35 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................36 3. Material conditions ..........................................................................................................39 a. introduction ............................................................................................................39 b. situation in the establishments visited....................................................................40 4. Activities..........................................................................................................................43 5. Staff issues.......................................................................................................................45 6. Health care.......................................................................................................................45 7. Discipline/Solitary confinement ......................................................................................49 8. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................51 9. Contact with the outside world........................................................................................51 10. Complaints and inspection procedures ............................................................................53 11. Belgrade Prison Hospital .................................................................................................54 a. introduction ............................................................................................................54 b. ill-treatment ............................................................................................................54 c. means of restraint ...................................................................................................55 d. patients' living conditions.......................................................................................57 e. treatment of patients...............................................................................................58 f. staffing issues .........................................................................................................60 - 4 - C. "Laza Lazarević" Psychiatric Hospital ................................................................................61 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................61 2. Patients' living conditions................................................................................................62 3. Treatment and care ..........................................................................................................64 4. Staff issues.......................................................................................................................65 5. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................66 6. Safeguards .......................................................................................................................67 D. Recapitulation..........................................................................................................................71 Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior...........................................71 Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Justice..................................................73 "Laza Lazarević" Psychiatric Hospital......................................................................................75 PART 3: ESTABLISHMENTS UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MONTENEGRO.........................................................................76 A. Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of the Interior ..................................76 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................76 2. Torture and other forms of ill-treatment..........................................................................77 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................80 a. introduction ............................................................................................................80 b. situation in the establishments visited....................................................................81