12 In December 2013, in cooperation with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the NPM organised a round-table on “Prevention and punishment for torture”, which was attended by representatives of the expert community. The round-table was focused on the challenges and issues that the Republic of Serbia faces in the prevention of torture and punishment for a criminal offense of ill-treatment. The NPM webpage15 in Serbian and English language contains information all essential activities of NPM, especially reports on visits as well as authorities’ responses to treatment according to the recommendations. The NPM Serbia maintains intensive bilateral cooperation with a number of NPMs of other countries. The NPM Serbia is the initiator and co-founder of the NPM Network of the countries of South Eastern Europe. In March 2013, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the NPM Serbia organized a meeting in Belgrade, where the NPM Network of the countries of South Eastern Europe was established. The Network members are: NPM Albania, NPM Macedonia, NPM Slovenia, NPM Serbia, NPM Croatia and NPM Montenegro, as well as the Ombudsman of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In October 2013, NPM Austria also joined the Network, and NPM Bulgaria and NPM Hungary. The Report on the NPM performance of duties for 2012 was submitted to the National Assembly, the President of the Republic, the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Supreme Court of Cassation, and to the general public it was made ​​available through the website of the Protector of Citizens16 or the NPM17. The Report translated into English language was submitted to the UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and other relevant international and regional bodies, and international organizations. 2. Prohibition of Torture 2.1. National legislation The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia18 guarantees human dignity, sanctity of life and inviolability of physical and mental integrity, and explicitly prohibits ill-treatment19. The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Article 25 Paragraph 2 Nobody may be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment20. Prohibition of torture is foreseen by other legal regulations, inter alia by the Criminal Procedure Code21, Law on Police22 and Law on Enforcement of Penal Sanctions23. Criminal Code24 defines torture and illtreatment as an independent criminal offense25. 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 http:∕∕npm.rs, access also possible through http:∕∕zastitnik.rs. http: ∕∕zastitnik.rs. http: ∕∕npm.rs. “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 98/2006. Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Articles 23, 24 and 25. Taken from the Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. “Official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia”, No. 70/2001 and 68/2002 and ”Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 58/2004, 85/2005, 115/2005, 85/2005 – State Law 49/2007, 20/2009 – State Law 72/2009 and 76/2010. “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 101/2005, 63/2009 – Constitutional Court’s decision and 92/2011. “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 85/2005, 72/2009 and 31/2011. “Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia”, No. 85/2005, 88/2005 – modification 107/2005 – modification, 72/2009, 111/2009 and 121/2012. Convention against Torture, Article 4: (1) Each State Party shall ensure that all acts of torture are offences under its criminal law. The same shall apply to an attempt to commit torture and to an act by any person which constitutes complicity or participation in torture. (2) Each State Party shall make these offences punishable by appropriate penalties which take into account their grave nature.