CAT/C/MKD/CO/3 The State party should compile and provide to the Committee statistical data relevant to the monitoring of the implementation of the Convention at the national level, including the data requested on investigations, prosecutions and convictions in cases of torture and ill-treatment, detention conditions and violence against women and ethnic and religious minorities. Inter-prisoner violence and prison conditions 10. While appreciating the measures already taken to reform the penitentiary system, the Committee is seriously concerned at the current conditions in penitentiaries, particularly in Idrizovo and Skopje prisons, which hold 75 per cent of the country’s inmates and have been described by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment as deplorable (CPT/Inf (2012) 38). It is deeply concerned by the European Committee’s reports that the illegitimate use of force was frequent at Idrizovo Prison, and that a high rate of inter-prisoner violence was prevalent in conditions described as being run on the basis of “collusion” between staff and convicted inmates. The Committee is also concerned that, despite efforts to improve the facilities of such places of detention, the European Committee found that insufficient action had been taken to ensure that they are properly staffed or offer appropriate material conditions for prisoners. The Committee is also concerned by reportedly high rates of overcrowding and that the training of prison guards and personnel is inadequate. The Committee is further concerned that the State party’s monitoring and documenting of such abuses is inadequate (arts. 2 and 10–13). The State party should: (a) Take immediate action to put an end to ill-treatment in prisons. The State party should ensure that all staff in Idrizovo Prison using illegitimate force against prisoners are subject to suspension, investigation, prosecution and penalties commensurate with the gravity of their acts. Furthermore, the State party should devise a national strategy to combat inter-prisoner violence in Idrizovo and Skopje prisons. Part of this strategy should include investing more resources in recruiting and training additional professional staff in the requirements of the Convention; (b) Improve material conditions in detention facilities in accordance with relevant international norms and standards, including by renovating existing prisons and speeding up the scheduled building of new prisons, and report to the Committee on progress made in the implementation of the project to reconstruct prisons; (c) Enhance measures to reduce overcrowding by introducing alternative measures such as those envisaged as part of the State party’s project on the probation service and alternative sanctions, ensuring they are in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for Noncustodial Measures (the Tokyo Rules); (d) Institute appropriate prevention strategies to monitor and document incidents of inter-prisoner violence with a view to investigating all allegations of abuse and holding those responsible accountable, whether inmates or guards. Impunity for acts of torture and ill-treatment 11. The Committee notes with concern that 242 complaints of excessive use of force and violence by police officers were filed with the Ombudsman and the Sector for Internal Control and Professional Standards between 2009 and 2013. The Committee notes with regret that, despite the allegations from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) of widespread corruption in prison and the reports of the Ombudsman (the National Preventive Mechanism) and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and 3

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