Regarding the event ─ self-injury of two applicants for international protection (hereinafter, applicants), reported also by numerous media, on 19 February 2008 the Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia examined the conditions in the closed part of the Asylum Centre in Ljubljana and the treatment of the applicants, and had a talk with them.

We determined that the applicants’ movement was temporarily restricted on the basis of decisions on movement restriction.  The Administrative Court, at which the applicants initiated the administrative dispute, shall decide on the legality of these decisions. Even though this is a temporary restriction of movement, it still makes the applicants’ life difficult and restricts their personal freedom.

The actions of the applicants, who decided to go on a hunger strike, reveal their distress and at the same time represent a call for help, which has to be taken seriously.  We determined that in such cases the Asylum Centre does not ensure psychiatric help to the applicants for international protection, even though it is obvious that they need it. Therefore, the Human Rights Ombudsman suggested to the Asylum Centre to do everything needed to ensure appropriate psychiatric help to the applicants for international protection, especially to those whose movement is restricted.

Within the framework of regular programme and tasks, performed as the national preventive mechanism under the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Human Rights Ombudsman is planning to visit the Asylum Centre this year, at the time of which the conditions in the Asylum Centre and the treatment of applicants for the recognition of the right to international protection will be under careful inspection.