At its Human Rights meeting on 2 to 4 December, the Committee of Ministers ended its supervision of the execution of the Gömi v. Turkey case, where the Court found a violation on account of the authorities’ failure to place the applicant, sentenced to life imprisonment and suffering from a psychotic illness, in a psychiatric hospital or a prison equipped with a specialist psychiatric ward where he could receive constant monitoring and requisite medical treatment. The European Court indicated that it was incumbent on the respondent State to ensure as soon as possible that the applicant was held in conditions appropriate to his situation in an institution capable of providing him with the necessary psychiatric treatment and constant medical follow-up.
Following the judgment, in 2019, the authorities transferred the applicant to a rehabilitation-type prison and ensured that he received regular psychiatric treatment and continuous medical monitoring. The applicant remains in the same institution, continues to receive regular medical care, and has access to external hospitals when necessary.
To address the shortcomings identified by the Court, the authorities also adopted a broad range of general measures. These include ensuring that all inmates undergo an initial medical examination upon admission to a penitentiary institution, including psychiatric assessment. After admission, psychological evaluations are carried out routinely or upon the request of medical staff or the institution’s psycho-social service unit. Individuals requiring further medical attention are referred to State or University hospitals for specialised treatment.
The number of psychiatric facilities, specialised institutions, and healthcare personnel in penitentiary establishments, including psychologists, has been significantly increased. Healthcare staff receive regular training to better support the mental-health and rehabilitation needs of inmates. In addition, a newly established e-doctor video examination system has improved inmates’ access to medical professionals, including for psychiatric evaluations.
The Committee of Ministers welcomed these measures and considered them sufficient to remedy the shortcomings identified by the European Court in this case.
