ANNUAL REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA Example: In his complaint 312 the complainant stated that he was afraid for his safety because some convicts in the Tuzla Prison were threatening him constantly. He thinks that his life is endangered and because of that he is afraid to move freely, to go swimming, or to eat in the kitchen. During the investigation, the representatives of the Institution talked to the complainant and the Prison management, after which the complainant was transferred to the B collective. 7.3.8. Communication with outside world Ombudspersons point out the great importance of maintaining good contact with the outside world of all persons deprived of their liberty. It is very important to emphasize that most detainees and prisoners will one day be free, so they should be supported and allowed to maintain as many connections with the outside world as possible. These contacts should not be limited to family members, but should include friends and everyone else related to them. A detained or imprisoned person is entitled to receiving visits and maintaining the correspondence, especially with family members, and must have adequate opportunity to communicate with the outside world. European prison rules 313 provide the following: “...Na Communication and visits may be subject to restrictions and monitoring necessary for the requirements of continuing criminal investigations, maintenance of good order, safety and security, prevention of criminal offences and protection of victims of crime, but such restrictions, including specific restrictions ordered by a judicial authority, shall nevertheless allow an acceptable minimum level of contact.” Ombudspersons remind that the written communication of convicted persons cannot be subject to any restrictions or supervision, and they want to welcome the positive changes when it comes to certain prisons in the Republika Srpska 314, because they accepted the recommendations of the Ombudsman regarding the secrecy of correspondence and the letters of convicted persons which delivered to the Ombudsmen in sealed envelopes. However, certain prison institutions 315 keep delivering letters to the Ombudsman in open envelopes with a cover letter from the prison management containing certain data about the convicted person. Example: Ombudspersons opened an investigation upon a complaint 316 filed by a prisoner serving his sentence in Tuzla Prison Director of which furnished him an illegal information 317 which introduced a new procedure of payment of postal services, according to which the convicted persons have to pay for postal services from their own funds for all letters sent outside the prison, except those signed by the Prison Warden. During the investigation, Ombudspersons received a statement from the Tuzla Prison 318 whereby they are informed that by which they were informed that Minister of Justice of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 28 March 2019 established the Procedure on the manner of payment of postal services for letters sent by convicted persons with the instruction that prison institutions are obliged to apply it from the day of its entry into force, which is 01 April 2019. The statement of the Federal Ministry of Justice 319 explains that Ž-SA-07-1079/19 European Prison Rules, Part II Contact with the outside world 314 Foča Prison, Trebinje Prison, Doboj Prison. 315 Bijeljina Prison and Banja Luka Prison 316 Ž-SA-07-476/19 dated 22 April 2019 317 No.: 04-12-1797/19 318 No.:04-49-2080/19 dated 16 July 2019 319 Broj:04-49-2080/19 dated 16 July 2019 312 313 77