Report on the Performance of Activities of the National Preventive Mechanism for 2016 Adoption of new EPSA is certainly one of the preconditions for strengthening protection of prisoners’ fundamental human rights and freedoms and for harmonising treatment in the prison system. However, just like Annual Normative Activities Plan for 2015 and 2016 foresaw its adoption, the latter is also foreseen by Annual Normative Activities Plan for 2017. What is more, according to information available, drafting of the act has not yet begun, which, considering complexity of the subject, is not promising. On the other hand, in their part pertaining to execution of remand imprisonment, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Act that are under way, foresee certain positive changes, especially with regard to the right of prisoners on remand to file a complaint – without limitation or content supervision – to Ombudsman as well as when it comes to competent judge’s acting upon complaints filed by prisoners on remand, which he or she must respond to in writing within 30 days. In spite of recommendation that CAT addressed to the Republic of Croatia in 2014, amendments do not cover part of Article 108.a, stipulating that every arrested person, among other rights, has the right to emergency medical assistance. Given that besides emergency medical assistance, an arrested person has the right to request examination by an independent physician, which is one of the fundamental guarantees for preventing torture and inhuman treatment, this should certainly be taken into account. 2. POLICE SYSTEM 2.1. Protection of citizens’ rights, including persons deprived of their liberty, in treatment by the police Complaints made to Ombudswoman I will be punished for the offence I have committed, I am aware of that and I don’t have any problems with that. However, I would like to inform the public about the manner in which police officers treated me and I would like to know whether they will be held responsible for what they had done to me. In 2016, Ombudswoman initiated 203 investigative procedures regarding police treatment and unprofessional and unethical behaviour of officers towards citizens. Apart from acting upon filed complaints, some investigative procedures were brought on our own initiative. Large number of complaints pertained to misuse of powers within procedures that imply use of physical force and result in deprivation of one’s liberty. Pursuant to CPT recommendations, means of coercion should be used exclusively in proportion and when necessary, for persons acting in a violent and/or agitated manner, to be brought under control; however, this year we received complaints pertaining to misuse of such powers. In one case, complainant claimed 24

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