DPM Pažin hosts CPT delegation

Podgorica, Montenegro (16 October 2017) -- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Zoran Pažin hosted earlier today the delegation of the Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment and Punishment of the Council of Europe (CPT), headed by Marcin Ksel, the First Vice-President of the Committee.

Presenting the results of Montenegro in the period from the last CPT Report of 2013, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Zoran Pažin pointed out that the focus of the work of Montenegrin institutions is to preserve dignity of every individual, not only as their private property, but also as a public interest. In that context, he assessed that the conditions for the enforcement of criminal sanctions have been significantly improved in the previous period, especially when it comes to: building a new facility for the Juvenile Unit, adjusting the observation post, adapting rooms to all organisational units according to the established priorities, adaptation of the kitchen, adaptation of rooms for family and marital visits, as well as procurement of vehicles and equipment for security officers.

CPT delegation welcomed the progress recorded in the prison units and the commitment of the authorities to advance conditions of prison facilities. Particularly positive were the assessments of renovation and reconstruction of facilities, as well as commitment to the implementation of the Strategy for Execution of Criminal Sanctions and the Legal Framework. The number of prison population was also reduced, and further intentions of the Government were welcomed in this respect. Furthermore, during the visit to the organisational units, the CPT delegation expressed particular interest in: the use of coercive means, incidents between prisoners, in particular prisoners and security officers, procedures for dealing with incidents, food and hygiene of prisoners and organisational units, precautionary measures and health care; accent on patients with acute psychiatric problems.

The meeting commended the positive commitment of the Montenegrin authorities to cooperation with the CPT and the readiness for the recommendations from the forthcoming CPT report to be adequately analysed and implemented.

The purpose of the visit of the CPT delegation is the preparation of a report for Montenegro on persons who are in the detention and prison units of institutions in Montenegro. It is planned that the Report for Montenegro will be finalised and presented in March 2018, which will be the first CPT report to discuss the progress of Montenegro in this area after the 2013 Report.

OFFICE OF THE DEPTY PRIME MINISTER