9 all of them contained the total of 36 recommendations for rectifying all deficiencies observed issued to these intuitions. In the course of 2015, NPM carried out seven thematic visits with the aim of questioning the allegations on torture. The four visits were conducted to the penal correctional institutions (PCI Niš, CI Požarevac – Zabela, and detention unit DP Belgrade) and three visits to the headquarters of the police administration (PA Niš, PA Leskovac and PA Požarevac). These visits were all unannounced and were conducted in the evening hours. With no presence of the members of the public authorities, the total of 210 persons deprived of their liberty were interviewed and none of them stated any allegations on torture. Special attention was paid to monitoring actions taken in line with the recommendations of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, issued in the previous reports on the conducted visits to the Republic of Serbia. In line with the mentioned, NPM carried out four visits to: The Special Prison Hospital in Belgrade, Penal Correctional Institution in Požarevac – Zabela, Clinic for Psychiatric Diseases “Dr. Laza Lazarević” and to the Special Hospital for Psychiatric Diseases “Gornja Toponica”. Monitoring the forced return of persons whose requests for asylum were rejected represents significant element in the protection from torture and other cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment. In 2015, NPM initiated monitoring the forced return of the Serbian citizens from the European Union countries whose asylum requests had been rejected. NPM representative monitored the actions of police towards persons who were returned from Dusseldorf to Serbia via charter flight. Forced return was conducted in cooperation with the police forces of Germany, Netherlands, Belgium and Serbia, and in organization of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) and on that occasion no irregularities in the actions taken by authorities were observed. Towards promotion and protection of persons deprived of liberty and prevention of torture, NPM representatives participated in numerous conferences, roundtables, workshops, seminars and training sessions in the course of 2015. 2. Prohibition of torture 2.1. National legislation The Constitution of the Republic of Serbia9 guarantees human dignity, inviolability of human life, inviolability of physical and mental integrity, and it strictly prohibits torture10. Constitution of the Republic of Serbia, Article 25, paragraph 2 Nobody may be subjected to torture, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, nor subjected to medical and other experiments without their free consent.11 “Official Gazette of the RS”, no. 98/2006 Constitution of the RS, Articles 23, 24 and 25. 11 Taken from Article 5 of the Common Declaration on the Human Rights, Article 7 of The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 3 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms 9 10

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