Today, on January 26, an extended session of the Advisory Council on Prevention of Torture adjunct to the Human Rights Defender was held.
The representatives of non-governmental organizations in the field of prevention of torture and ill-treatment, experts of national preventive mechanism and field specialists attended the meeting.
Issues related to the mechanisms of early conditional release of persons deprived of liberty were on the agenda.
During the session a reference was made to the legislative gaps and practical shortcomings of the appeal procedures of decisions, acts and omissions by the authorities of penitentiary bodies and institutions as well.
A number of legislative drafts improving the condition of people deprived of liberty that were put in circulation by the Human Rights Defender were also discussed. The drafts relate to granting long-term and short-term visits, as short leave of imprisoned and detained people, as well as issues concerning receipt of identification cards by detained people, toughening sanctions for abstracting the activities of advocates.
During the meeting it was once again highlighted that it is important to promote such mind-set that what is decisive in the treatment towards prisoners is not the type or gravity of the offence committed by the prisoner, but the latter’s behaviour in the penitentiary institution was. However, for the full realisation of this mind-set, prisoner’s reintegration into the society and activities aimed at preparing a prisoner for release should be prioritised.