the NPM experts were
announced publicly to In 2020, the NPM experts were contacted by the relative of
ensure a direct relation
a person deprived of liberty with an onco-hematologic
with persons deprived of
disease serving his punishment at Vratsa prison. His
liberty. As a result, even in punishment was suspended so he could undergo a course
the conditions of a state of
of chemotherapy in Sofia. The days he was released for
emergency in the country, were not sufficient for him to complete the therapy course.
the institution of the public
After the mediation interference of the Ombudsman, the
advocate continued to
person deprived of liberty was convoyed to Sofia to
receive
numerous
complete the course of chemotherapy.
complaints and signals
from persons deprived of
liberty and detainees which made it possible for the Ombudsman of the Republic
of Bulgaria to continue to advocate effectively for their rights.
Second, the state of emergency and the emergency epidemic situation led
to a change in the scope and annual schedule of NPM inspections in order to
include both the places for planned inspections in relation to the implementation
of recommendations issued in previous years and a possibility for unplanned ad
hoc inspections related to the application of the anti-epidemic measures in closed
institutions.
As a result, a total of 49 planned, unplanned and extraordinary inspections
(ex officio upon specific occasions) were carried out in 2020 in different sites:
prisons and prison hostels, detention centres, district and border police
departments, psychiatric hospitals and others. This is an increase by 50% in
comparison to the sites envisaged initially.
Graph 1 – Inspections carried out in 2020 by the NPM (numbers)
Prisons and prison hostels
21
21
Detention centers
Police departments'
accomodation units
13
8
7
7
4
22
Planned
11
2 2
Ad hoc
Special houses for
temporary accommodation
of foreigners
Residential services for
elderly and children
Psychiatric hospitals
3
2
11
Extraordinary
5
Correctional boarding
houses