Correctional institutions
however, be necessary to guarantee safety in prisons and to maintain order or
prevent criminal actions.
A body search including the anus does not constitute inhumane or humiliating
treatment if it is only ordered in certain, serious, suspicious circumstances.
The European Court of Human Rights has deemed unnecessary, routine body
searches with disrobement as well as inspection of the anal area inhumane
or humiliating; it emphasised the degrading character of such searches in this
context. This does not apply in cases where the grounds for the inspection are
given (see also Federal Constitutional Court 10.7.2013, 2 BvR 2815/11 mNw
on the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights).
Prohibition of acting
against good faith
In the case of detainees awaiting trial, there can be circumstances in which it
is very unlikely that objects are being smuggled in orifices in the genital area.
In such cases, inspections of the same are considered disproportionate. This is
the case for example when the arrest is unexpected leaving no time to conceal
objects and there is no other evidence to suggest otherwise.
The Penitentiary System Act (Strafvollzugsgesetz) stipulates that a body search
with disrobement shall be conducted in the presence of two officers of the
same gender as the inmate and in the absence of other prisoners and persons
of the opposite sex. International standards recommend that body searches
shall be conducted by officers specially trained in this area. Furthermore,
LGBTIQ should be able to determine themselves which gender should conduct
the body search (recommendation of the Association for the Prevention of
Torture, https://www.apt.ch/detention-focus/en/detention_issues/6/).
Strict gender
segregation
Body searches shall be conducted with respect for the sense of pride and dignity
of the person to be searched. This also includes that the search takes place
in suitable rooms that cannot be looked into from the outside and have the
appropriate room temperature.
Suitable rooms
The NPM requests the Federal Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Reforms,
Deregulation and Justice to ensure that body searches at Klagenfurt correctional
institution are conducted without camera surveillance in future. The rooms
shall be (also according to the manual “Searching persons” – “Durchsuchung
von Personen” for law enforcement officers in Austrian prisons) such that it is
not possible to see inside them in order not to violate the sense of pride of the
person to be searched.
Klagenfurt correctional
institution
The Federal Ministry of Constitutional Affairs, Reforms, Deregulation and
Justice, in contrast, points out the risk that the persons to be searched could
attack the prison guards. With respect to the bodily integrity of the prison
guards, which must be guaranteed, it is necessary to maintain this practice.
This view is not convincing because, if this were the case, all body searches
would have to be conducted under camera surveillance, which is in breach of
the proportionality principle.
108
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