CPT/Inf (2016) 8 Report to the Government of “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” on the visit to “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 7 to 17 October 2014 The Government of “the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” has requested the publication of this report and of its response. The Government’s response is set out in document CPT/Inf (2016) 9. Strasbourg, 17 March 2016 - 2 - CONTENTS Copy of the letter transmitting the CPT’s report............................................................................5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................6 I. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................11 A. Dates of the visit and composition of the delegation ............................................................11 B. Establishments visited.............................................................................................................12 C. Consultations held by the delegation.....................................................................................13 E. Immediate observations under Article 8, paragraph 5 of the Convention ........................14 F. National Preventive Mechanism ............................................................................................15 II. FACTS FOUND DURING THE VISIT AND ACTION PROPOSED ..............................16 A. Law enforcement agencies......................................................................................................16 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................16 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................16 3. Safeguards against ill-treatment ......................................................................................20 4. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................23 B. Prison establishments .............................................................................................................26 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................26 a. reform of the prison system....................................................................................26 b. prison establishments visited..................................................................................27 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................28 3. Staffing ............................................................................................................................30 4. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................34 a. material conditions .................................................................................................34 i. Idrizovo Prison .............................................................................................34 ii. remand section of Skopje Prison ..................................................................37 iii. Kumanovo Prison .........................................................................................38 iv. Ohrid Prison .................................................................................................39 v. Tetovo Prison................................................................................................40 b. regime.....................................................................................................................41 c. juveniles held in prison establishments for adults..................................................43 - 3 - 5. Health-care services.........................................................................................................44 6. Other issues......................................................................................................................47 a. discipline ................................................................................................................47 b. contact with the outside world ...............................................................................48 c. independent monitoring .........................................................................................50 C. The situation of juveniles held at the “Tetovo” Educational Correctional Institution ....51 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................51 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................52 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................54 a. regime.....................................................................................................................54 b. material conditions .................................................................................................54 4. Staff .................................................................................................................................56 5. Health-care services.........................................................................................................58 6. Contact with the outside world........................................................................................59 7. Discipline.........................................................................................................................59 D. Immigration detention centre ................................................................................................61 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................61 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................62 3. Conditions of detention ...................................................................................................63 4. Unaccompanied minors ...................................................................................................66 5. Staffing ............................................................................................................................68 6. Health care.......................................................................................................................68 7. Other issues......................................................................................................................71 E. Psychiatric institutions ...........................................................................................................74 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................74 2. Ill-treatment .....................................................................................................................75 3. Patients’ living conditions ...............................................................................................76 4. Treatment, care and staffing ............................................................................................78 5. Means of restraint ............................................................................................................80 6. Deaths of patients ............................................................................................................83 - 4 - 7. Safeguards and complaints procedures............................................................................84 a. the initial placement decision.................................................................................84 b. forensic psychiatric placement...............................................................................85 c. safeguards during placement..................................................................................85 d. guardianship ...........................................................................................................87 F. Establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy ...........88 1. Preliminary remarks ........................................................................................................88 2. Demir Kapija Special Institution for mentally disabled persons.....................................88 a. preliminary remarks ...............................................................................................88 b. ill-treatment ............................................................................................................89 c. living conditions.....................................................................................................89 d. treatment and staffing.............................................................................................91 e. safeguards...............................................................................................................93 3. “Ranka Milanovic” Public Institution for