Country

Slovenia

Detention issue

FRA research findings

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Legal instruments & key provisions

Legal instrument Key provision
Rules on police powers (Pravilnik o policijskih pooblastilih)No specific standards are in place regarding police custody. As mentioned above, a police officer must provide emergency medical assistance to a person who is ill or injured, or who shows signs of intoxication by alcohol or another substance, and who is in obvious need of emergency medical assistance, or who so indicates. After receiving the opinion of the medical doctor, the police officer shall decide on the further detention of the person. If the person remains undergoing treatment in a medical institution and the detention is not terminated, the detention shall be carried out in a manner that allows medical care to be carried out. The manner in which the detention is carried out shall be coordinated with the competent health professionals.

NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM RECOMMENDATIONS

Year Recommendation Report
2021During the visit to the Detention Centre Dob pri Mirni, it was found that at the time of the visit, 16 convicts over the age of 65 were being held in the closed part of the facility. They did not need any additional help or care with their daily tasks, according to the explanations we received during our visit. The Institute has a contract with an external contractor for such needs, who is called in when the need arises. Management further explained that, although for some years now, the had been dealing with the problem of individual convicts requiring daily care for some years. They pointed out that not long before the NPM's visit, they had a convict who was practically immobile and spent most of his time in bed. He had severe incontinence (both urinary and faecal) and eating disorders. The institution managed to terminate the prison sentence of this convicted person as of 1 February 2021 and arranged for him to be placed in a social welfare institution. Also in 2020, there were two convicts in need of care. It was further noted that since 2016, also with the assistance of the Ombudsman, the institution has been trying to regulate the placement of convicts who are not suitable for serving their prison sentences in the institution in suitable institutions, as the institution is not able to provide them with the necessary - appropriate care (there is no 24-hour medical care in the institution), nor does it have adequate nursing staff. Despite all the efforts to resolve the situation regarding the problems of housing convicts in need of 24-hour care, no serious progress has been made. On this basis, we made a systemic recommendation that the General Office of the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia, together with other relevant ministries, explore the possibility of accelerating the resolution of the problem of convicted persons in need of 24-hour medical care, including placement in other appropriate institutions (e.g. social welfare institutions), if necessary. Report details
2022ZPKZ Maribor Murska Sobota unit implemented the NPM’s recommendation from the previous visit of the possibility of filling the vacancy for a psychologist, since during this visit, the deputy head of the unit explained that a psychologist will start working here on 08/08/2022. Report details