HF II Serbia - Strenghtening Human Rights treatment of detained persons

As a part of the co-operation framework co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, known as the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey (Horizontal Facility), the Council of Europe has implemented, as one of the Actions in Serbia, the Action Enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons - Phase II, in close partnership with the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, NPM/Ombudsperson Office, Office for Human and Minority Rights and Serbian European Integration Office. The Action was also including a wide spectrum of other national stakeholders, as well as civil society organizations active in the field of protection and promotion of human rights.

The Action focused on the safeguards against ill-treatment of arrested and detained persons, the human rights protection of prisoners through improved policy and reintegration measures, as well as human rights protection of persons with mental disabilities detained in psychiatric or social care institutions.

The key Conventions for this Action were the European Convention for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), as well as the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) and the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). These commitments are part of the Serbia's EU accession negotiations and accomplishment of goals defined in strategic documents and in particular Chapters 23 and 24.

The Action, which started on 24 May 2019 and was completed on 31 December 2022, had an overall budget of 900,000 euros.

Project documentation

Useful information

PROJECT NEWS

Back Revised methodology of NPM Serbia enables better monitoring of human rights’ protection at places of detention

After eight months (March-November 2021) of diligent work on updating and improving operational procedures and working methodology of Serbian National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), Council of Europe and NPM team jointly completed the revision of Serbian NPM methodology in November 2021.

During the revision process, particular attention was paid to the CPT findings and recommendations, which are reflected not only in the methodology, but also in new questionnaires for visiting all places of detention. Detailed and comprehensive questionnaires were developed for NPM visits to prisons, police detention units and stations, psychiatric hospitals, social care homes and migration facilities.

The support of the Council of Europe to Serbian NPM will enable better monitoring of the NPM and independent bodies over all detention places and, overall, better protection of the human rights of persons deprived of their liberty on some grounds, not only of Serbian citizens, but also foreigners. Consequently, the NPM staff will be equipped to fulfil their mandate more effectively and efficiently prepare, conduct, and report on monitoring visits to all places of detention.

The support to NPM was provided in the framework of the Project “Enhancing Human Rights Protection for Detained and Sentenced Persons in Serbia”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe within the framework of Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey II.

Serbia 23 November 2021