On 12 January 2024, a formal oath-taking ceremony was held at the Požega Penitentiary for participants of the 44th and 45th basic training courses for correctional officers in penitentiaries and prisons. In addition to the Minister of Justice and Public Administration Ivan Malenica and other guests, the ceremony was attended by the Ombudswoman Tena Šimonović Einwalter and Deputy Ombudsman Saša Rajić.
The training of new correctional officers contributes to addressing one of the systemic issues the Ombudswoman continues to highlight—namely, the insufficient number of staff in most penal institutions.
Our institution has been involved in their training for many years, primarily by familiarising them with the fundamental human rights of persons deprived of liberty, with particular emphasis on the prohibition of torture and other unlawful conduct during sentence execution, as well as the competences and working methods of the Ombudswoman in their protection. Correctional officers are also introduced to the practices of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia and the European Court of Human Rights concerning violations of prisoners’ rights, so that in their everyday work, they can act in accordance not only with national legislation but also with international standards pertaining to persons deprived of liberty.
Following the ceremony, Ombudswoman Šimonović Einwalter and Deputy Rajić visited the newly renovated facilities of the Požega Penitentiary where women serve prison sentences. Renovation and alignment of conditions with statutory and international standards are commendable and in line with the Ombudswoman’s recommendations.
Namely, after visiting the Penitentiary in 2018, the Ombudswoman’s Office warned the Central Office for the Prison System that accommodation conditions, especially in the closed section for female prisoners, did not comply with legal and international standards and could be considered degrading. The same warning was issued following a repeat visit in 2022. The European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) also flagged these and similar shortcomings in its Report on the visit to the Republic of Croatia.
Therefore, the renovation of the Požega Penitentiary is undoubtedly a positive step, but it is crucial that accommodation conditions in all other facilities housing persons deprived of liberty are also aligned with legal and international standards, to ensure full protection of the rights of persons in the prison system.
Overcrowding in penal institutions, which results in the restriction or violation of numerous rights of persons deprived of liberty in the prison system, remains a serious issue, with inadequate accommodation conditions being among the most frequent reasons for complaints to the Ombudswoman.
The Ombudswoman will present a detailed analysis of the protection of persons deprived of liberty—including, among other things, the accommodation conditions in all penal institutions—to the Croatian Parliament by the end of March, as part of the Ombudswoman’s 2023 Annual Report, which is currently in preparation.