As part of the healthcare section of the SEE NPM Network, National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) Serbia organised on 22 December 2020 an online meeting...
Events
The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia in cooperation with the Council of Europe, prepared an international conference on Wednesday,...
OTHER ACTIVITIES OF THE NPM IN 2019
1. | 11. 1. 2019 | At the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities (MDDSZ), Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, mag. Jure Markič, attended the 9th session of the working group regarding the establishment of a special unit for treating persons with profound mental disorders. |
2. | 15. 1. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, spoke to a reporter from Val 202 radio station about the situation in Slovenian prisons. |
3. | 21. 1. 2019 | At the Ombudsman’s head office, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s advisers, mag. Uroš Kovačič and Robert Gačnik, met the Director of the Probation Administration, mag. Danijela Mrhar Prelić, and her colleagues. The meeting focused on a detailed familiarisation with the operations of the Probation Administration and its units. |
4. | 23. 1. 2019 | At the MDDSZ, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and Ana Polutnik, the Ombudsman’s adviser, attended a working meeting with the representatives of the MDDSZ and courts about resolving the situation that occurred due to the overcrowding in secure wards. |
5. | 24. 1. 2019 | At the Ombudsman’s head office, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s advisers, mag. Jure Markič, Ana Polutnik and Robert Gačnik, attended the annual meeting with the representatives of NGOs that were selected to cooperate in the NPM work at the public call. |
6. | 1. 2. 2109 | Mag. Jure Markič, the Ombudsman’s adviser, attended the 10th session of the working group regarding the establishment of a special unit for treating persons with profound mental disorders at the MDDSZ. |
7. | 6. 2. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the 5th regular session of the Committee on Justice of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia where the situation in the field of detention and imprisonment in Slovenian prisons was discussed. |
8. | 11. do 13. 2. 2019 | The Ombudsman’s advisers, mag. Jure Markič, Ana Polutnik and Robert Gačnik, attended training to work with the Excel computer programme as a tool to display the NPM recommendations. |
9. | 12. 2. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and Polona Mozetič, the Ombudsman’s councillor, attended a consultative workshop on the rights of suspects and the accused, which took place in Budapest, Hungary, between 12 and 13 February 2019. The workshop took place within the project, „Strengthening the rights of suspects and accused in criminal proceedings – the Role of national institutions for human rights“, implemented by the |
10. | 15. 2. 2019 | Mag. Jure Markič, the Ombudsman’s adviser, attended the 11th session of the working group regarding the establishment of a special unit for treating persons with profound mental disorders at the MDDSZ. |
11. | 7. 3. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended a meeting at the MDDSZ on placing infirm and ill convicted persons who require care due to their health issues, which prisons cannot provide for them and who would need to be accommodated at social care institutions. |
12. | 8. 3. 2019 | At the Ombudsman’s head office, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Ana Polutnik, attended a meeting with the representatives of the Ministry of Justice, the MDDSZ, the South Primorska Social Work Centre, the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (URSIKS), the Črna na Koroškem Special Education, Work and Care Centre, and lawyer, Dr Marija Hladin, on implementation of the educational measure of place ment in a special education institution. |
13. | 15. 3. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, attended the third scientific conference entitled „Compliance of Domestic Regulations with the Acquis of the European Union“ in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the event, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih presented the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia in the role of a member of the National Preventive Mechanism. |
14. | 15. 3. 2019 | Mag. Jure Markič, the Ombudsman’s adviser, attended the 12th session of the working group regarding the establishment of a specialised unit for treating persons with profound mental disorders at the MDDSZ. |
15. | 21. 3. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s advisers, Robert Gačnik, and mag. Uroš Kovačič, attended a symposium entitled „Treatment of prisoners addicted to psychoactive substances – Where are we and where are we going“ at Maribor University Medical Centre. The meeting was intended for doctors and experts who treat addiction in prisoners in their daily practice. |
16. | 22. 3. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the reception of the delegation of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms of the Parliament of Montenegro, where he spoke about the operations of the NPM. |
17. | 25. 3. 2019 | At the Ministry of the Interior (MNZ), Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the 16th session of the Expert Council on Police Law and Powers. |
18. | 1. 4. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the 18th expert meeting of criminal investigators, prosecutors, judges and children‘s representatives entitled „A Child in the Grip of the Past and the Future“ that took place at Brdo pri Kranju. |
19. | 9. 4. 2019 | Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, his Deputy Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, attended a ceremony commemorating the day of the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia. |
20. | 11. 4. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s advisers, Robert Gačnik, and mag. Uroš Kovačič, held an introductory meeting with Riikka Peltonen Quijano from the Regional Office of UNHCR in Budapest, which is responsible for harmonising UNHCR activities in Slovenia. |
21. | 16. 4. 2019 | The Ombudsman’s advisers, mag. Jure Markič and Ana Polutnik, attended a consultation on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the European Court of Human Rights at the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana entitled „European Court of Human Rights: Guardian of Human Rights and the Rule of Law“. |
22. | 16. 4. 2019 | Between 16 and 17 April 2019, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended an expert meeting entitled „Addressing Violation of Rights at Border, Racism, Xenophobia and Hate Crime in the Context of Migration in South-Eastern Europe“, which was organised in Zagreb, Croatia, by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) in cooperation with the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Croatia. |
23. | 23. 4. 2019 | The Ombudsman’s adviser, mag. Jure Markič, attended the training for expert staff in mental health centres, where he introduced the NPM work and the findings established during visits to secure wards in psychiatric hospitals in 2018. |
24. | 25. 4. 2019 | Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina and his closest colleagues responded to the invitation of Boštjan Poklukar, the Minister of the Interior, to an introductory meeting at the Ministry’s premises. |
26. | 24. 4. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Andreja Srebotnik visited the Centre for the prevention and treatment of drug addiction in Ljubljana. |
27. | 25. 4. 2019 | Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, his colleagues (also NPM members) and mag. Ksenija Klampfer, the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, examined the conditions in Dom na Krasu Dutovlje Special Social Care Institution and spoke with several residents and staff members. At a special press conference, Ombudsman Peter Svetina highlighted the living conditions unworthy of people and urgent care for the most vulnerable. He pointed out the intolerable conditions of the staff in the institution and the necessity for improvements of spatial capacities in other special social care institutions in Slovenia. A mixed accommodation for various persons with different mental health issues, especially the accommodation of those referred to institutions by courts, must be arranged in order to unburden and reduce safety risks. |
28. | 6. 5. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, attended training for a group of new prison officers at Dob pri Mirni Prison. This cooperation takes place regularly when training new prison officers who can thus become better acquainted with the institution of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia relating to the discussion of complaints submitted by prisoners and the implementation of the tasks and powers of the NPM. |
29. | 8. 5. 2019 | At the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended a meeting of the working group for monitoring the work of residential treatment institutions. |
30. | 20. 5. 2019 | At the MDDSZ, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended a meeting regarding the placement of adolescents with mental health problems and severe forms of personality and behavioural disorders. |
31. | 23. 5. 2019 | In Nafplion, Greece, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the „Meeting of Ombudsman/NPM institutions to remedy the absence of an external, independent governance of the pool of forced-return monitors“. |
32. | 24. 5. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended a working meeting at the Judicial Training Centre intended for determining topics for the conference, the 2019 Mental Health Days. |
33. | 27. 5. 2019 | Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina and his colleagues welcomed mag. Ksenija Klampfer, the Minister of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, and her team to the first working visit. The central emphasis was dedicated to the most vulnerable groups, the disabled, children with special needs, persons with mental health problems, the elderly and the backlogs in decision making of the MDDSZ. |
34. | 28. 5. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, attended a consultative workshop, „Strengthening the rights of persons suspected or accused in criminal proceedings – the role of National Human Rights Institutions“, organised by the Peace Institute and the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia, which took place at the National Museum of Slovenia in Ljubljana. The consultative workshop was intended for the exchange of experience, good practices and innovative ideas for promoting and safeguarding the rights of suspected and accused persons, and the enhancement of mutual cooperation. Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih introduced to the participants certain findings or the Ombudsman’s recommendations when dealing with complaints referring to the work of police officers |
35. | 28. 5. 2019 | The representatives of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič and Ana Polutnik, attended a consultation entitled, „Discussion of children and adolescents with emotional and behavioural disorders – searching for solutions and a look into the future“, which took place at Kranj Intergenerational Centre at the initiative of experts in residential treatment institutions and youth homes. |
36. | 29. 5. 2019 | At the request of the TAIEX, the European Commission’s instrument, the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia organised in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior a study visit by the representatives of the Palestinian Council of Ministers and their Ministry of the Interior, and presented good practices and methodologies regarding complaint procedures in Slovenia between 29 and 31 May 2019. The Ombudsman’s representatives informed the participants about the Ombudsman’s institution, which is an independent and autonomous authority. The participants learned about the method of discussing individual complaints (particularly those involving police procedures) and the Ombudsman’s operations in the role of the National Preventive Mechanism. |
37. | 3. 6. 2019 | At the premises of the MDDSZ, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman‘s adviser, mag. Jure Markič, attended the working meeting of the representatives of the social care institutions and psychiatric hospitals about the intolerable conditions due to overcrowding in secure wards. |
38. | 4. 6.2019 | The Annual Report of the Human Rights Ombudsman and the Annual report on the implementation of the duties and powers of the NPM were discussed by the National Assembly’s Commission for Petitions, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities. |
39. | 7. 6. 2019 | At the MDDSZ, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Ana Polutnik, attended a working meeting with the representatives of theMDDSZ, the Ministry of Health, Idrija Psychiatric Hospital and courts about the intolerable conditions due to overcrowding in secure wards. |
40. | 11. 6. 2019 | Between 11 and 12 June 2019, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the first meeting of the SEE NPM Network in 2019 in Skopje in North Macedonia organised by the Human Rights Ombudsman of North Macedonia when implementing the tasks and powers of the NPM within the framework of their presidency of the network and with the assistance of OSCE. The purpose of the meeting was to exchange experience when forming policies for the prevention of retaliation as per Article 21 of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Official Gazette of the Republic of Slovenia [Uradni list RS] – International Trea- |
41. | 12. 6. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, Robert Gačnik, the Ombudsman’s |
42. | 13. 6. 2019 | The Ombudsman’s adviser, Ana Polutnik, attended a conference held by Planina Residential Treatment Institution, where programmes and innovations were presented that were carried out in the institution within the project of comprehensive treatment of children with emotional and behavioural disorders. |
43. | 20. 6. 2019 | The 2018 Annual Report on the Implementation of the Tasks of the NPM was discussed in the National Assembly. Based on Articles 272 and 111 of the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly when discussing the Report of the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia on Implementing the Tasks of the National Preventive Mechanism according to the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment for 2018 on 20 June 2019, the National Assembly adopted the recommendation: „The National Assembly recommends that all competent state and other bodies adopt all measures necessary to realise the recommendations of the National Preventive Mechanism.“ |
44. | 2. 7. 2019 | At the Ministry of Justice, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the |
45. | 19. 7. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, examined the claims regarding the water supply in Dob Prison after the storm of 20 June 2019. |
46. | 23. 7. 2019 | At the Ministry of Health, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the |
47. | 19. 8. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih held a discussion at the Ministry of the Interior about monitoring the removal of foreigners from the country. |
48. | 22. 8. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsmen Ivan Šelih and mag. Miha Horvat spoke to the representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Slovenia about the situation of human rights in Slovenia. |
49. | 4. 9. 2019 | At the Judicial Training Centre, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the last coordination meeting before the conference, the 2019 Mental Health Days. |
50. | 5. 9. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, presented the findings determined during the NPM visits to police stations to the State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior and the representatives of the Police and Security Directorate at the Ministry of the Interior. |
51. | 5. 9. 2019 | At the Ministry of Health, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the preparatory meeting of the working group for drafting amendments to the Mental Health Act (ZDZdr). |
52. | 16. 9. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and member of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, received the representatives of the Croatian NPM at a study visit. Together, they visited the Department of Psychiatry at Maribor University Medical Centre, of which the Forensic Psychiatric Unit is also a part. The event was an opportunity for the exchange of good practices when implementing the tasks and powers of the NPM, and to learn about the treatment of patients with mental health problems and the legal framework defining the treatment, which is also one of the objectives for participating in the SEE NPM Network. |
53. | 18. 9. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and members of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič and Ana Polutnik, attended the conference entitled, the 2019 Mental Health Days, between 18 and 19 September, which focused on efficient transitions in the treatment process from the community through the court to institutional treatment and back. On the first day, the conference was led by the Human Rights Ombudsman, Peter Svetina. |
54. | 20. 9. 2019 | Together with Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the member of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended a meeting with the representatives of Spominčica – Alzheimer Slovenija, which also participates in the implementation of the tasks and powers of the NPM. |
55. | 2. 10. 2019 | Between 2 and 3 October 2019, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the member of the NPM, Ana Polutnik, attended a meeting of the SEE NPM Network in Skopje, North Macedonia, organised by the Human Rights Ombudsman of North Macedonia in its role of implementing the tasks and powers of the NPM within the framework of their presidency of the network and with the assistance of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This was the first meeting of the representatives of the SEE NPM Network focusing on regulating the situation and special needs of children and adolescents in institutions or in cases in which they have been deprived of their personal liberty. |
56. | 3. 10. 2019 | At the Ministry of Health, the representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended a session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
57. | 8. 10. 2019 | Between 8 and 9 November 2019, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the first meeting of the Nafplion Group. Assisted by the Council of Europe, the meeting was organised by the Italian NPM (Garante Nazionale dei Diritti delle Persone Detenute e private della Libertà Personale). The Nafplion Group was founded on the basis of the so-called Nafplion process, i.e. the initiative of the Greek Human Rights Ombudsman and some other ombudsman or NPM institutions from Member States of the Council of Europe. The main objective of founding the Nafplion Group was to establish a mechanism to ensure independent external monitoring of Frontex operations relating to forced return, form special recommendations for the bodies executing forced return, monitor the observance of these recommendations and thus contribute to the transparency of implementing return procedures. |
58. | 10. 10. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the |
59. | 16. 10. 2019 | At the invitation of the Public Defender of Georgia, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended the high-profile international conference entitled „Measuring and Enhancing the Impact of National Preventive Mechanisms“ that was held on 7 October in Tbilisi. The event took place on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of operations of the Georgian National Prevention Mechanism since the Public Defender of Georgia began implementing the relevant tasks and powers in 2009. As an active participant, Deputy Ombudsman Šelih presented the operations of the Slovenian NPM. |
60. | 17. 10. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
61. | 22. 10. 2019 | Human Rights Ombudsman Peter Svetina, his Deputy Ivan Šelih and the representatives of the NPM, Robert Gačnik, mag. Jure Markič and Ana Polutnik, attended a meeting with the representatives of NGOs which participate with the Ombudsman’s Office in the NPM work. |
62. | 22. 10. 2019 | A working meeting was held at the Ministry of Justice concerning |
63. | 24. 10. 2019 | At the House of the European Union in Vienna, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Andreja Srebotnik, attended the final conference within the EU project, „Strengthening the rights of persons suspected or accused in criminal proceedings – the role of National Human Rights Institutions“. The project partners presented their research findings, and consultation sessions and discussions with key international experts in the relevant field and national human rights institutions were also held at the conference. The representatives of these institutions exchanged experience about enhancing and safeguarding the rights of persons suspected and accused in criminal procedures when dealing with individual complaints and when monito- |
64. | 24. 10. 2019 | At the Ministry of Health, the representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended a session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
65. | 30. 10. 2019 | At the Ministry of Health, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the |
66. | 4. 11. 2019 | On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih as the Head of the Slovenian NPM, and Katarina Vučko, the representative of the Peace Institute, one of the NGOs participating in the implementation of the tasks and powers of the NPM, attended several events organised by the Council of Europe, the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT) from Geneva and OSCE/ODIHR in Strasbourg, France, between 4 and 6 November 2019. Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the representative of the Peace Institute, Katarina Vučko, particularly highlighted the |
67. | 6. 11. 2019 | At the consultation session entitled „Work with the Elderly“ in Ljubljana, the representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, presented the NPM and findings on the use of special protection measures (SPM). |
68. | 7.11.2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
69. | 8. 11. 2019 | At the 11th conference on dementia, ASK 2019, organised by Spominčica – Alzheimer Slovenija in Nova Gorica, the representative |
70. | 8. 11. 2019 | At the Ministry of the Interior, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended a session of the Expert Council on Police Law and Powers. |
71. | 14. 11. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
72. | 18. 11. 2019 | Between 18 and 19 November 2019, the Ombudsman’s adviser, mag. Uroš Kovačič, attended a workshop in Sofia, Bulgaria, intended for NPM entitled „Working towards harmonised detention standards in the EU – the role of National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs)“. The substantive highlights of the workshop included the supervision of treatment and the situation of vulnerable groups of prisoners, and the formation of a systemic arrangement of supervision with regard to preventing torture and inhuman treatment. |
73. | 20. 11. 2019 | At the MDDSZ, the representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended a session of the working group for working with dementia patients in institutional care of the elderly. |
74. | 20. 11. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended an event at the National |
75. | 21. 11. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
76. | 21. 11. 2019 | At the Ombudsman’s head office, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih, the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, and the representatives of the NGOs participating in the tasks and powers of the NPM attended training concerning supervision over the use of weapons and other coercive measures and the prevention of torture organised by the representatives of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in cooperation with the Omega Research Foundation and the University of Exeter. |
77. | 28. 11. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
78. | 5. 12. 2019 | Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended a session of the working group for drafting amendments to the ZDZdr. |
79. | 5. 12. 2019 | At the Faculty of Law in Ljubljana, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih attended a round table entitled „Ten Years of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights“. |
80. | 11. 12. 2019 | At the invitation of the Croatian Human Rights Ombudsman, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s adviser, Robert Gačnik, attended a round table on vulnerable groups in the prison system in Split, Croatia. The purpose of the round table was to exchange experience and point out the need to detect particularly vulnerable groups of prisoners, such as adolescents, women, the disabled, the elderly, members of ethnic and religious minorities, members of sexual minorities, foreigners and others, at the start of incarceration and when planning their processing. In the discussion of individual presentations of the position of vulnerable groups in the Croatian prison system, Deputy Šelih among other things emphasised the efforts of the Slovenian Human Rights Ombudsman to improve the situation of prisoners who, due to their age, illness or disability, require additional assistance when meeting their basic needs or care and social care |
81. | 16. 12. 2019 | On 16 December 2019, Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih and the |
82. | 17. 12. 2019 | The representative of the NPM, mag. Jure Markič, attended the training of the expert staff in mental health centres for adults in Ljubljana entitled „Treatment, Health Care and Rehabilitation“ where he introduced the contribution, „Distress and abuse in old age – secure wards in retirement homes“. |