INSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
their liberty, with particular regard to the deployment of cameras to ensure the protection of the
privacy rights of convicted persons 258. The recommendation also pointed out the need to allocate
the funds as necessary for the employment of additional staff - public servants, officials in police
administrations/stations, in accordance with the established systematization of posts, and for
professional training of police officials engaged in treatment of persons deprived of liberty. This
training should be organized through continuous, specialized and licensed courses that meet the
highest domestic and international standards in this field. Also, Ombudspersons sent a
recommendation to the Ministry of Interior of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to
establish electronic records of persons deprived of liberty, and a recommendation to the Ministry
of Interior of Republika Srpska to harmonize the existing electronic records of detainees with the
provisions of the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska.
7.3. Rights of persons deprived of liberty
7.3.1. Health care
Ombudspersons emphasize that persons deprived of liberty belong to a vulnerable category of the
population because their situation has an impact on the physical, psychological, social, legal and
every other aspect of their lives.
Persons deprived of liberty must be examined by a doctor upon entering a penitentiary institution.
The prison health care service should be able to provide health care of the same quality and scope
as the one provided to patients enjoying compulsory health insurance outside the prison. The
obligation of medical staff in the institution is not only the treatment of the patient, but also
preventive medicine which consists of monitoring hygienic conditions in the institution, health
counseling, prevention of violence among and towards prisoners, recording injuries, etc. Prison
medical staff should have certain professional knowledge that enables them to tackle various forms
of prison pathology, and adapt their treatment methods to prison conditions.
European Prison Rules pay a great deal of attention to health care 259 and indicate that health care
must be provided to the prisoners without discrimination based on their status.
Irrespective of these standards, in 2019 the Ombudsman registered complaints lodged by convicted
persons about the quality of health care in prisons in correction facilities in Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
Some prisons not do not have a general practitioner with work contract for an indefinite period of
time as prescribed by European Prison Rules 260. Institutions which do not have a full-time doctor
usually engage one on the basis of temporary service contract, with the obligation to regularly visit
the institution and provide necessary medical services to persons deprived of liberty.
258
Cameras should be located in corridors approaching the prison cells and should not cover toilet space
European Prison Rules, Part III covering the health care issues, Item 40.3
260
European Prison Rules, Part III covering the health care issues, Item 41.1
259
66
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