29 Oct Anti-torture Committee report on periodic visit to Croatia focusing on police, prisons and psychiatry

The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) has published on 2 October the report on its periodic visit to Croatia, which took place from 14 to 22 March 2017.

The CPT found that most people detained by the police had been treated correctly. However, some allegations of ill-treatment were received consisting mainly of slaps and kicks inflicted at the time of arrest or during questioning at a police station (“informative talks”). The CPT reiterates that police officers should clearly understand that physical ill-treatment of detained persons is unacceptable and that the Croatian authorities should ensure that all allegations of ill-treatment are effectively investigated and appropriate sanctions imposed on those police officers found guilty.

As regards prisons, the report recognises the efforts invested by the Croatian authorities to reduce prison overcrowding. Nevertheless, continued efforts need to be made to ensure every prisoner has at least 4m² of living space. Further, the CPT is particularly critical of the excessive restrictions imposed on remand prisoners and misdemeanour offenders who continue to spend up to 23 hours locked up in substandard cells with no access to purposeful activities

The report highlights the legal obstacles hampering the provision of health care in prisons in terms of the lack of accreditation of prison doctors with the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO). It also makes recommendations to improve the confidentiality of medical examinations of inmates and the treatment of prisoners suffering from mental health disorders and drug addiction. Regarding Zagreb Prison Hospital, the report is notably critical of the lack of psychiatrists and nurses, and of the restricted living space and lack of integral sanitary facilities in patients’ rooms.

As regards the three psychiatric institutions visited, lack of living space and access to the courtyard for patients at the Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents in Zagreb is a particular concern of the CPT. The report also criticises the prescription of medication, the administration of electroconvulsive therapy in front of other patients and the absence of recording of the use of means of restraint. The report analyses the recently adopted mental health legislation and raises some concerns over the legal status of psychiatric patients in the light of this legislation.

Here you can read the report: https://rm.coe.int/16808e2a0e and Response of the Croatian Government: https://rm.coe.int/16808e2a10

References from the official website of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)