Back Conference marking International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

© Council of Europe

© Council of Europe

On 25 June, the project facilitated the international conference “COVID-19 and Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty” to mark 26th June, the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. The conference brought together National Preventive Mechanisms against Torture from Western Balkans, experts of European Committee for Prevention of Torture (CPT) and European Court of Human Rights, civil society organizations, representatives of correctional service, prison health department, mental health and social care institutions, police, courts and others.

It provided platform for very substantive discussion with many practical examples and recommendations, focusing on the protection of rights of persons deprived of liberty in the restrictive circumstances of the health emergency caused with outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, and adaptation of operational modalities for the monitoring bodies in such circumstances. Participants exchanged good practices applied in response to extremely demanding situation in different national contexts and stressed main challenges the pandemic brought for persons deprived of liberty, staff working in responsible institutions as well as for monitoring bodies themselves.

The conference resulted with a number of recommendations in defining the course of action for implementation of exchanged good practices and relevant CPT recommendations, before all in relation to reducing prison overcrowding, provision of adequate access to and quality of health care in prison for COVID-19 related, but also regular health care needs of inmates, increasing efforts and identifying creative approaches to organize meaningful activities for inmates in restrictive circumstances as well as ensuring alternatives for contact with outside world. Particular attention should be given to provide additional support to the staff of institutions dealing with persons deprived of liberty, while closed mental health institutions are in need for more comprehensive assistance in many aspects. All participants agreed that persons deprived of liberty should be prioritized for vaccination as a specifically vulnerable group of population.

As a follow up, the project will support NPM to implement some of the recommendations from the conference and continuation of the dialogue with relevant authorities on finding practical solutions to better respond to challenges deriving from pandemic.

The project “Strengthening the Kosovo Institutions in Fight against Torture, Ill-treatment and Other Degrading Treatment” is funded by Norway and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Pristina 25 June 2021
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"All reference to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation’s Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo."