In respect of Turopolije Correctional Facility, the report notes that juveniles held in this facility were generally well treated and offered a good range of educational, vocational and recreational activities. However, the CPT is critical of the practice of placing juveniles in solitary confinement for periods of up to seven days as a disciplinary punishment, and of the ineffective complaints procedure. The Croatian authorities respond to the various CPT recommendations and put forward concrete measures to address them in a positive and constructive spirit. For example, an extended range of purposeful activities will be developed for prisoners and the status of prison doctors within the national health system will be resolved. 47. As regards the three psychiatric institutions visited, lack of living space and access to the courtyard for patients at the Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents in Zagreb is of particular concern to the CPT. The report also criticises the administration of electroconvulsive therapy in front of other patients and the absence of recording of the use of means of restraint. The report raises some concerns over the legal status of psychiatric patients in the light of the newly adopted mental health legislation. In their response, the Croatian authorities provide information on the action taken to address the Committee’s recommendations, notably in relation to the transfer of the Psychogeriatric department of Vrapče Psychiatric Hospital to a new building and to the administration of electroconvulsive therapy in a dedicated room of the Zagreb Clinical Hospital Centre. Report and response published in October 2018 (CPT/Inf(2018)44 and CPT/Inf(2018)45) Report on the ad hoc visit to Hungary in October 2017 and response of the Hungarian authorities (immigration detention, “push-back” operations to Serbia) 48. The report notes that no allegation of ill-treatment by staff was received from foreign nationals held under aliens legislation in any of the establishments visited. However, a significant number of persons interviewed by the delegation, on the Serbian side of the border in particular, alleged that they had been physically ill-treated (for example, kicked, punched or hit with a baton) by Hungarian police officers in the context of their ‘push-backs’ to Serbia; several of them displayed recent traumatic injuries which were consistent with their allegations. The CPT once again recommends that all police officers receive a clear and firm message, emanating from the highest political level, that any form of ill-treatment of detained persons is unacceptable and will be punished accordingly. The report highlights that in the context of ‘push-backs’, there was no procedure which would assess the risk of ill-treatment following the forcible removal, and the CPT recommends that the Hungarian authorities put an end to the practice of ‘pushbacks’ to the Serbian side of the border. Publication highlights ► Page 23

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