ÿWPCù  zp1qåa;ùr²:ùr…aØ6ñ»8Ó™f¨à1„¸¬ÌÏ]êÉ ç5ˆ$Ï×.×ñU6àÕ/G< ݈3–Ñ®/)ÊWqœ˜š3Žbê{ëØ¡*·¯ä´ržQ„à”¶Nßšù€s,)=œn}^2•™´`I•Ž¢+Ùnï{èß-ºhñáWtã…¶èNþW%¬^P8tž¨&Ì1üu+Ïæ*óþíºŠ÷òSd™Ç®†ñ´’3j·4Õ“´ZR"Ô½j3_è«>äfíT£‚ÊàñSúóÒ!\^‚bî¯p{®ƒ4ü"q·×¿™ v•Õ$°¬ÖÑÖÇã&ÐÊáb_Ü%¯È9½IöIàZiÃbâýÁÔ Š‡6š—»Kêêr×®ïÔ´tãXŽâ"Üå·úlÐHeЋ^j"Þ{ïÓvr>2ºÇ„h6÷*€Œ抨2POÛ½_µòÁÁ¥BŸ…Ë`l€VMl É‘ñß@wPñN†øOÛÈA¡P±ÿJ3 ¨÷<{ä –-ä–cþfhê×ãGBqÓͤÞ0 .Ÿ½ìntik@™."JKj¨v§¬Ûá[Ôþ?pb7"){Ž| o(Ym¿WDZ¨"0#É UNi %· 0F½ 0U 0ÝX 0¿5 0¹ô 0³­ 0­` 0§ 0¡´ 0›U 0¿ð 0˯ 0­z 0§' 0¡Î 0›o 0•  0Ÿ 0‡. 0¼µ 0Èq 0ª9 0¤ã 0ž‡ 0˜% 0’½ 0ŒO 0„Û 0N_ 0<­wéNí^ ï4û m  0H7 02 0± 0 É 0Cé 0, U>» ˜HP PSC 2350 seriesTŽ––––TŽ0(  Z‹6Times New Roman RegularX(c±$¡¡Ó  ÓÔCEUS.,Ô*+ ÿÿ(_26Ô2ÔÔ3  Ôà..à*D+D ÿÿ(_25Ó ¨ý ÓÓ ° ÓÓ,"Œ Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤,ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓ,"Œ Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤,ÓÓ ¨ý ÓÓ ° Ó*5+5 ÿÿ(_24Ó  ÓÓ)ä ä <”ìDœôL¤)ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓ)ä ä <”ìDœôL¤)ÓÓ  Ó*2+2 ÿÿ(_23Ó ` ÓÓ&<<”ìDœôL¤&ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓ&<<”ìDœôL¤&ÓÓ ` Ó*/+/ ÿÿ(_22Ó ¸ ÓÓ#””ìDœôL¤#ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓ#””ìDœôL¤#ÓÓ ¸ Ó*,+, ÿÿ(_21Ó  ÓÓ ììDœôL¤ ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓ ììDœôL¤ ÓÓ  Ó*)+) ÿÿ(_20Ó h ÓÓDDœôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓDDœôL¤ÓÓ h Ó*&+& ÿÿ(_19Ó À ÓÓœœôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓœœôL¤ÓÓ À Ó*#+# ÿÿ(_18Ó  ÓÓ ôôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ôà..àÓ ôôL¤ÓÓ  Ó*>> ÿÿ(_17Ó  ÓÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÓ  Ó*DD ÿÿ(_16Ó ¨ý ÓÓ ° ÓÓ,"Œ Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤,ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó,"Œ Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤,ÓÓ ¨ý ÓÓ ° Ó*55 ÿÿ(_15Ó  ÓÓ)ä ä <”ìDœôL¤)ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó)ä ä <”ìDœôL¤)ÓÓ  Ó*22 ÿÿ(_14Ó ` ÓÓ&<<”ìDœôL¤&ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó&<<”ìDœôL¤&ÓÓ ` Ó*// ÿÿ(_13Ó ¸ ÓÓ#””ìDœôL¤#ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó#””ìDœôL¤#ÓÓ ¸ Ó*,, ÿÿ(_12Ó  ÓÓ ììDœôL¤ ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó ììDœôL¤ ÓÓ  Ó*)) ÿÿ(_11Ó h ÓÓDDœôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€ÓDDœôL¤ÓÓ h Ó*&& ÿÿ(_10Ó À ÓÓœœôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€ÓœœôL¤ÓÓ À Ó(## ÿÿ&_9Ó  ÓÓ ôôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  Ô€Ó ôôL¤ÓÓ  Ó(>> ÿÿ&_8Ó  ÓÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÓ  Ó(DD ÿÿ&_7Ó ¨ý ÓÓ ° ÓÓ,"Œ Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤,ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ,"Œ Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤,ÓÓ ¨ý ÓÓ ° Ó(55 ÿÿ&_6Ó  ÓÓ)ä ä <”ìDœôL¤)ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ)ä ä <”ìDœôL¤)ÓÓ  Ó(22 ÿÿ&_5Ó ` ÓÓ&<<”ìDœôL¤&ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ&<<”ìDœôL¤&ÓÓ ` Ó(// ÿÿ&_4Ó ¸ ÓÓ#””ìDœôL¤#ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ#””ìDœôL¤#ÓÓ ¸ Ó(,, ÿÿ&_3Ó  ÓÓ ììDœôL¤ ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ ììDœôL¤ ÓÓ  Ó()) ÿÿ&_2Ó h ÓÓDDœôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓDDœôL¤ÓÓ h Ó(&& ÿÿ&_1Ó À ÓÓœœôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓœœôL¤ÓÓ À Ó&## ÿÿ$_Ó  ÓÓ ôôL¤ÓÔ2ÔÔ3  ÔÓ ôôL¤ÓÓ  Ó6Œ ÿÿ4heading 1Ñ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2Óò òòòÔ UK ÔÔ‡XXXÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ‡ôôôÔó óóóÔ US ÔÑ  ÑÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÓ  Ó<ÿÿ:Default Paraå4‡ K4ê:i¢×+003|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ6‰ |ÿÿ4heading 2Ñ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ  ÓÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2Óò òÔ UK ÔÔ‡XXXÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÓ  ÓÔ‡ôôôÔó óÔ US ÔÑ  ÑÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÓ  Ó6~ qÿÿ4heading 3Ñ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2Óò òÔ UK ÔÔ‡XXXÔÔ  ÔÔ  ÔÔ‡ôôôÔó óÔ US ÔÑ  ÑÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÓ  Ó<nnÿÿ:endnote textÑ  ÑÓ  ÓÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÔ UK ÔÔ‡XXXÔÔ‡ôôôÔÔ US ÔÑ  ÑÓ2(Ü Ü4Œ ä <”ìDœôL¤2ÓÓ  Ó<rrÿÿ:endnote refeò òòòÔ‡XXXÔÔS‡/ô\  `‹&Times New RomanSÔÔ‡ôôôÔÔS‡/ô\  `‹&Times New RomanSÔó óóó(ÿÿ$‘‘òòÚ  ÚÚ  Úóó(N2º$¥¥Ý ƒc±!ÝÓ  ÓÔCEUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÓÓòòÚ  Ú0Ú  Úóóô\  `&Times New RomanÝ ƒc±!ÝÓ  ÓÔCEUS.,ÔÝ  ÝÔ_Ôò òÔ‡¼§˜»XXÔÓ  ÓREPUBLIC€OF€Ô_ÔSERBIAó óÔ#†Xq€X»¼§˜L#ÔòòiÔ_ÔóóÐ ° ÐÓkÓÌò òCAT€Article€20€Examinations€Re:€Systematic€TortureÐ ° ÐÌCAT€€A/59/44€(2004)ó óÐ ˆØ ÐÌCHAPTER€IV.€€€ACTIVITIES€OF€THE€COMMITTEE€UNDER€ARTICLE€20€OF€THEÐ ` ° ÐCONVENTIONÐ L œ Ð...Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌòòB.€€Summary€account€of€the€results€of€the€proceedings€concerning€the€inquiry€on€Serbia€andÐ `  ÐMontenegroóóÐ üL  ÐÌòòI.€€INTRODUCTIONóóÐ Ô$  ÐÌ156.à  àOn€19€December€1997€the€Humanitarian€Law€Ô_ÔCenterÔ_Ô€(Ô_ÔHLCÔ_Ô),€a€non„governmentalÐ ¬ü  Ðorganization€based€in€Belgrade,€submitted€information€to€the€Committee€containing€allegations€ofÐ ˜è Ðsystematic€use€of€torture€within€the€territory€of€Serbia€and€Montenegro€and€requested€the€CommitteeÐ „Ô Ðto€examine€the€situation€under€article€20€of€the€Convention.€€In€May€1998€the€Committee€invitedÐ pÀ ÐÔ_ÔHLCÔ_Ô€to€submit€additional€information€substantiating€the€facts€of€the€situation.€€In€November€1998Ð \¬ Ðthe€information€received€from€Ô_ÔHLCÔ_Ô€was€transmitted€to€the€State€party,€which€was€requested€to€submitÐ H˜ Ðits€observations.€€Owing€to€the€political€situation€in€the€country€at€that€time,€the€Committee€decidedÐ 4„ Ðto€postpone€its€examination€of€the€situation.€€In€May€2000,€the€Committee€decided€to€reiterate€itsÐ  p Ðrequest€to€the€State€party€to€submit€observations€on€the€allegations€received.€€The€observations€wereÐ  \ Ðfinally€submitted€on€23€August€2000.Ð øH ÐÌ157.à  àIn€November€2000,€the€Committee€decided€to€establish€a€confidential€inquiry,€in€view€of€theÐ Ð  Ðfact€that€the€information€available€to€it€provided€well„founded€indications€that€torture€was€beingÐ ¼  Ðsystematically€practised€in€the€country.€€At€the€same€time,€the€Committee€requested€the€GovernmentÐ ¨ø Ðto€agree€to€a€visit€by€the€members€designated€to€conduct€the€inquiry.€€The€Government€agreed€to€theÐ ”ä Ðvisit,€which€took€place€from€8€to€19€July€2002.Ð € Ð ÐÌòòII.€€VISIT€TO€SERBIA€AND€MONTENEGRO€FROM€8€TO€19€JULY€2002óóÐ X"¨  ÐÌ158.à  àThe€visit€was€undertaken€by€Peter€Burns,€Andreas€Ô_ÔMavrommatisÔ_Ô€and€Ole€Ô_ÔVedelÔ_Ô€Rasmussen.€Ð 0$€" ÐThe€Committee€members€visited€Belgrade€where€they€held€discussions€with€the€Minister€for€ForeignÐ %l # ÐAffairs,€representatives€of€the€Federal€Ministry€of€Justice,€the€Serbian€Deputy€Minister€of€Justice,€theÐ &X!$ ÐSerbian€Minister€of€the€Interior€and€his€principal€private€secretary,€the€Serbian€Public€Prosecutor,€theÐ ô&D"% ÐDirector€of€the€Serbian€prison€system,€members€of€the€Serbian€Supreme€Court,€the€head€of€theÐ à'0#& ÐBelgrade€District€Court,€the€head€of€the€Department€of€Public€Security€(Chief€of€Police)€at€theÐ Ì($' ÐSerbian€Ministry€of€Internal€Affairs,€the€Supreme€Military€Prosecutor€and€the€Coordinator€of€theÐ ¸)%( ÐÌ________________Ð +à&* ÐÔ_ÔòòióóÔ_Ô€€€[Ed.€Note:€ÔUKCE.,ÔEffective€6€June€2006,€Serbia€and€Montenegro€changed€its€name€to€Republic€of€SerbiaÔCE.,UK.,Ô].Ð |,Ì'+ ÐÐ h-¸(, Ї̀Commission€for€Truth€and€Reconciliation.€€They€also€met€with€representatives€of€the€OrganizationÐ œì Ðfor€Security€and€Cooperation€in€Europe€(Ô_ÔOSCEÔ_Ô)€Mission€in€Serbia€and€Montenegro,€the€Council€ofÐ ˆØ ÐEurope€and€non„governmental€organizations€(Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô).€€The€members€also€travelled€to€Ô_ÔNoviÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔPazarÔ_Ô,Ð tÄ Ðwhere€they€met€with€the€District€Prosecutor€and€representatives€of€Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô.€€Visits€were€also€made€toÐ `° Ða€number€of€police€stations€and€prisons€in€Belgrade€and€other€parts€of€Serbia.Ð L œ ÐÌ159.à  àFurthermore,€the€members€visited€Ô_ÔPodgoricaÔ_Ô,€Montenegro,€where€they€met€with€the€ActingÐ $ t ÐForeign€Minister€and€Deputy€Prime€Minister,€the€Minister€of€Justice,€the€Deputy€Minister€of€InternalÐ  ` ÐAffairs€and€the€Public€Prosecutor.€€While€in€Montenegro€the€members€also€met€with€Ô_ÔNGOÔ_ÔÐ ü L  Ðrepresentatives€and€visited€two€police€stations€and€the€Ô_ÔSpuðž ðÔ_Ô€prison€(see€sect.€V€below).€€In€view€ofÐ è 8  Ðthe€fact€that€the€Yugoslav€authorities€had€not€exercised€power€over€the€territory€of€Ô_ÔKosovoÔ_Ô€since€theÐ Ô$  Ðestablishment€there€of€the€United€Nations€Mission€in€Ô_ÔKosovoÔ_Ô€(Ô_ÔUNMIKÔ_Ô)€in1999,€the€Committee€feltÐ À  Ðthat€it€was€advisable€not€to€include€Ô_ÔKosovoÔ_Ô€in€the€visit.Ð ¬ü  ÐÌ160.à  àThe€Federal€and€Republican€authorities€were€supportive€of€the€visit€and€very€cooperative.€Ð „Ô  ÐThe€members€visited€prisons€and€places€of€detention€without€prior€notice€and€talked€in€private€withÐ pÀ Ðdetainees.€€The€only€difficulty€encountered€by€the€members€was€related€to€the€interviews€with€pre„trialÐ \¬ Ðdetainees.€€By€law,€such€interviews€had€to€be€approved€by€the€respective€investigating€judges,€a€ruleÐ H˜ Ðthat€applied€to€any€person€wishing€to€meet€a€pre„trial€detainee.€€Unfortunately,€the€members€had€notÐ 4„ Ðbeen€informed€of€this€requirement€before€arriving€in€the€country.€€In€the€end,€the€necessaryÐ  p Ðauthorizations€were€obtained€and€the€members€were€able€to€interview€some€pre„trial€detainees.€Ð  \ ÐHowever,€the€Committee€members€would€have€wished€that€the€State€party€had€made€the€necessaryÐ øH Ðarrangements€beforehand,€so€as€to€avoid€delays€in€their€programme€of€work.Ð ä4 ÐÌòòIII.€€FINDINGS€OF€THE€COMMITTEE€WITH€RESPECT€TO€SERBIAóóÐ ¼  ÐÌ161.à  àThe€widespread€use€of€torture€under€the€regime€of€President€Ô_ÔSlobodanÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔMilosevicÔ_Ô€has€beenÐ ”ä Ðextensively€documented€by€national€and€international€Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô,€the€Special€Rapporteur€on€the€situationÐ €Ð Ðof€human€rights€in€the€territory€of€the€former€Yugoslavia€of€the€Commission€on€Human€Rights€andÐ l¼ ÐÔ_ÔOSCEÔ_Ô.€€Direct€testimonies€and€information€from€governmental€and€non-governmental€sourcesÐ X ¨ Ðreceived€by€the€members€prior€to€and€during€their€visit€to€Serbia€confirmed€the€reliability€of€theÐ D!” Ðinformation€contained€in€those€reports€and€the€assessment€that€torture€was€systematically€used€duringÐ 0"€  Ðthe€Ô_ÔMilosevicÔ_Ô€regime,€mainly€for€political€reasons.€€A€considerable€amount€of€information€in€thisÐ #l! Ðrespect€is€contained€in€the€Committeeððs€files€and€excerpts€were€transmitted€to€the€State€party.€€Ð $X" Ð162.à  àThe€information€collected€by€the€members€during€their€visit€to€Serbia€and€Montenegro€showedÐ ô$D # Ðthat€the€characteristics€and€frequency€of€torture€changed€completely€after€October€2000,€under€theÐ à%0!$ Ðnew€political€regime.€€Their€findings€in€this€respect€are€based€mainly€on€testimonies€obtained€fromÐ Ì&"% Ðpersons€at€liberty€claiming€to€have€been€tortured€or€ill„treated,€detainees,€Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô,€prison€doctors,€lawÐ ¸'#& Ðenforcement€personnel,€government€officials€and€members€of€the€judiciary.Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌòòA.€€Information€obtained€through€interviews€with€alleged€victims€and€visits€to€places€of€deprivationÐ |*Ì%) Ðof€libertyóóÐ h+¸&* ÐÌ163.à  àThe€Committee€members€interviewed€two€persons€at€liberty€who€alleged€that€they€had€beenÐ @-(, Ðtortured€while€they€were€in€detention.€€They€also€conducted€private€interviews€with€40€personsÐ ° Ðdeprived€of€their€liberty.€€The€interviewees€were€selected€from€among€those€who€had€arrived€mostÐ œì Ðrecently€in€the€places€of€detention€that€were€visited.€€Some€were€selected€on€the€basis€of€medicalÐ ˆØ Ðrecords€kept€in€those€places€for€the€months€preceding€the€visit.€€Ten€interviewees€stated€that€they€hadÐ tÄ Ðbeen€treated€in€a€way€that€the€Committee€members€considered€could€fall€within€the€definition€ofÐ `° ÐÔ_Ôtorture€contained€in€article€1€of€the€Convention.€€Ð L œ ÐÌ164.à  àAt€each€prison€and€police€station€visited,€the€Committee€members€examined€the€log€booksÐ $ t Ðwhich,€in€general,€were€well€kept.€€At€the€police€stations,€the€members€looked€at€the€rooms€used€forÐ  ` Ðinterrogation€and€the€cells€in€which€detainees€were€held.€€Although€the€visit€was€not€intended€to€focusÐ ü L  Ðon€the€material€conditions€of€detention,€the€members€could€not€help€being€struck€by€some€of€thoseÐ è 8  Ðconditions.€€For€example,€the€cells€in€most€of€the€police€stations€were€unlit,€unventilated,€unfurnishedÐ Ô$  Ðand€lacked€acceptable€sanitation€facilities.òò1€€óóAs€for€the€conditions€in€prisons,€the€members€noted€thatÐ À  Ðthe€time€allowed€for€daily€outdoor€exercise€by€remand€prisoners€was€far€too€short€(about€half€anÐ ¬ü  Ðhour).€€The€rest€of€the€day€prisoners€stayed€in€their€cells€without€being€offered€any€purposefulÐ ˜è  Ðactivities.€€Some€were€even€kept€in€solitary€cells€for€long€periods.€€Furthermore,€there€seemed€to€beÐ „Ô  Ðno€system€of€inspection€by€independent€experts€of€conditions€of€imprisonment.€€Prisoners€wishing€toÐ pÀ Ðfile€complaints€could€only€do€so€by€writing€to€the€Ministry€of€Justice.€€The€Helsinki€Committee€forÐ \¬ ÐHuman€Rights,€which€had€recently€been€allowed€to€visit€some€prisons,€told€the€members€of€theÐ H˜ ÐCommittee€that€such€complaints€remained€largely€unanswered.Ð 4„ ÐÌ165.à  àAs€a€whole,€the€members€of€the€Committee€got€the€impression€that€the€situation€in€prisonsÐ  \ Ðhad€improved€significantly€since€October€2000€and€that€the€authorities€had€been€successful€inÐ øH Ðreforming€staff€practices,€retaining€only€those€staff€members€who€were€committed€to€appropriateÐ ä4 Ðbehaviour.€€That€impression€was€confirmed€by€the€testimonies€of€the€prisoners€themselves.€€Ð Ð  ÐÌòò1.€€PrisonsóóÐ ¨ø ÐÌòòBelgrade€Central€PrisonóóÐ €Ð ÐÌ166.à  àA€Committee€member€with€medical€expertise€examined€the€medical€records€of€70€pre-trialÐ X ¨ Ðdetainees€who€were€under€the€jurisdiction€of€the€Belgrade€District€Court.€€Fifty-five€of€them€containedÐ D!” Ðno€indications€of€ill„treatment€or€physical€violence€by€the€police.€€In€the€remaining€15€recordsÐ 0"€  Ð(representing€21€per€cent),€it€was€noted€that€the€detainees€had€alleged€having€been€beaten€by€theÐ #l! Ðpolice.€€In€six€of€them€(representing€approximately€9€per€cent€of€the€total€number€of€recordsÐ $X" Ðexamined)€marks€had€been€found€and€were€described€by€the€examining€doctor.€€Furthermore,€theÐ ô$D # Ðprison€doctor€told€the€members€that€approximately€one€third€of€the€prisoners€bore€lesions€upon€theirÐ à%0!$ Ðarrival,€though€the€lesions€were€not€necessarily€due€to€ill-treatment€by€the€police.€€Where€the€prisonersÐ Ì&"% Ð(about€10€per€cent€of€them)€alleged€having€been€beaten€by€the€police,€the€lesions€were€generally€light,Ð ¸'#& Ðsuch€as€bruises.€€The€allegations€made€by€the€prisoners€were€always€reflected€in€their€medical€records.€Ð ¤(ô#' ÐThe€doctor€also€indicated€that€there€were€no€cases€of€inmates€being€beaten€by€the€prison€guards,Ð )à$( Ðalthough€such€cases€had€been€frequent€in€the€past.€€Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ167.à  àThe€Committee€members€also€interviewed€21€pre„trial€detainees,€some€of€whom€were€selectedÐ T,¤'+ Ðon€the€basis€of€the€medical€records€examined.€€All€of€them€were€charged€with€common€crimes.€€NineÐ @-(, Ðof€them€reported€having€been€beaten€or€subjected€to€other€forms€of€torture€by€the€police€in€order€toÐ ° Ðobtain€confessions.€€Ð œì ÐÌòòSremska€Mitrovica€PrisonóóÐ tÄ ÐÌ168.à  àAt€Sremska€Mitrovica€Prison,€with€over€1,000€inmates€the€largest€in€the€country,€the€membersÐ L œ Ðwere€informed€that€the€new€management€team€had€introduced€important€changes.€€Until€the€end€ofÐ 8 ˆ Ð2000,€disciplinary€measures€in€reported€cases€of€ill„treatment€had€not€been€taken€against€those€foundÐ $ t Ðguilty€of€such€abuses.€€However,€the€director€claimed€that€all€problematic€guards€had€beenÐ  ` Ðtransferred.€€Since€then,€no€conflicts€between€prisoners€and€staff€or€incidents€of€inter„prisonerÐ ü L  Ðviolence€had€been€observed.€€The€prison€doctor€confirmed€that€there€had€been€no€acts€of€torture€orÐ è 8  Ðill„treatment€in€the€prison.Ð Ô$  ÐÌ169.à  àFive€inmates€were€interviewed€in€this€prison,€none€of€whom€reported€having€been€torturedÐ ¬ü  Ðbefore€or€during€their€stay€in€the€prison.€€Four€of€them€said€that€the€situation€had€changed€completelyÐ ˜è  Ðover€the€previous€two€years,€since€the€arrival€of€the€new€director€and€the€removal€of€some€of€theÐ „Ô  Ðguards.€€One€inmate,€kept€in€a€punishment€cell€after€having€tried€to€escape€from€prison,€did€notÐ pÀ Ðcomplain€of€any€ill„treatment€by€the€staff.Ð \¬ ÐÌòòPozarevac€Penitentiary€for€femalesóóÐ 4„ ÐÌ170.à  àSix€inmates€were€interviewed€individually€in€the€closed€section.€€None€of€them€alleged€havingÐ  \ Ðbeen€tortured€or€ill„treated€by€the€police€or€prison€guards.€€In€the€open€and€semi„open€sections€aÐ øH Ðgroup€of€prisoners€reported€previous€cases€of€ill„treatment.€€However,€they€described€the€currentÐ ä4 Ðsituation€as€very€good.€€One€prisoner€reported€an€incident€in€which€a€guard€had€beaten€her€on€theÐ Ð  Ðpalm€of€her€hand€in€anger€while€she€was€working€in€the€field.€€Reportedly,€the€guard€was€suspendedÐ ¼  Ðand€disciplinary€procedures€were€ongoing.€€The€prison€doctor€confirmed€that€in€the€previous€threeÐ ¨ø Ðyears€she€had€not€learnt€of€any€case€of€torture€or€ill„treatment.Ð ”ä ÐÌòòBelgrade€Military€PrisonóóÐ l¼ ÐÌ171.à  àOne€inmate€was€interviewed€in€this€prison.€€He€had€been€arrested€on€charges€of€desertion.€Ð D!” ÐHe€made€no€allegations€of€torture€or€ill„treatment.€€Ð 0"€  ÐÌòò2.€€Police€stationsóóÐ $X" ÐÌ172.à  àThe€members€of€the€Committee€visited€nine€police€stations,€namely€those€at€Bozidura€Adzije,Ð à%0!$ ÐRakovica,€Vozdovac,€Palilula,€29€November,€Stari€Grad€and€Milan€Rakic€Streets€in€Belgrade,€theÐ Ì&"% ÐSmederevo€main€police€station€and€the€central€police€station€in€Novi€Sad.€€At€the€time€of€the€visitÐ ¸'#& Ðthere€were€two€detainees€in€Vozdovac,€one€in€Milan€Rakic€and€one€in€Smederevo.€€None€of€themÐ ¤(ô#' Ðreported€having€been€tortured€or€ill„treated.€€At€the€29€November€police€station€there€was€only€oneÐ )à$( Ðold€man€in€the€detention€area;€he€did€not€allege€any€maltreatment.€€One€member€of€the€CommitteeÐ |*Ì%) Ðspoke€with€two€alleged€illegal€immigrants€who€were€waiting€to€see€the€judge€for€misdemeanours;€theyÐ h+¸&* Ðindicated€that€they€had€been€treated€well.Ð T,¤'+ ÐÐ @-(, ÐòòB.€€Information€submitted€by€non„governmental€organizationsóóÐ ° ÐÌ173.à  àRepresentatives€of€NGOs€with€whom€the€Committee€members€met€provided€information€onÐ ˆØ Ðcases€of€torture€brought€to€their€attention€by€the€alleged€victims.€€In€their€view,€massive€violationsÐ tÄ Ðof€the€right€to€freedom€from€torture€had€not€been€registered€since€the€change€of€Government.€Ð `° ÐHowever,€the€frequency€with€which€law€enforcement€officers€resorted€to€excessive€force€in€theÐ L œ Ðperformance€of€their€duty€remained€a€matter€of€concern.€€They€said€that€much€remained€to€be€doneÐ 8 ˆ Ðregarding€the€training€of€law€enforcement€personnel€on€human€rights€matters€and€that€furtherÐ $ t Ðpersonnel€changes€in€the€police€had€to€be€carried€out€in€order€to€make€a€clear€break€with€the€practicesÐ  ` Ðof€the€former€regime€and€restore€public€confidence€in€law€enforcement€agencies.€€They€reported€thatÐ ü L  Ðtorture€was€frequently€used€as€a€means€of€extracting€information.€€However,€in€many€instances€tortureÐ è 8  Ðwas€due€to€the€mentality€prevailing€among€policemen,€for€whom€the€use€of€excessive€force€hadÐ Ô$  Ðalways€been€part€of€their€routine€work.€€Moreover,€NGOs€pointed€out€that€since€the€change€ofÐ À  ÐGovernment€few€alleged€perpetrators€of€acts€of€torture€reportedly€committed€under€the€old€regimeÐ ¬ü  Ðhad€been€investigated€or€tried.Ð ˜è  ÐÌ174.à  àHLC€provided€information€on€12€selected€cases€involving€21€alleged€victims€that€occurredÐ pÀ Ðbetween€1€December€2000€and€March€2002.€€They€reportedly€took€place€in€Belgrade,€Smederevo,Ð \¬ ÐBecej€(Vojvodina),€Presevo,€Novi€Sad,€Smederevska€Palanka,€Srbobran€(Vojvodina),€Vladicin€Han,Ð H˜ ÐKragujevac€and€Backa€Palanka.€€All€the€victims€alleged€having€been€severely€beaten;€one€reportedÐ 4„ Ðhaving€received€electric€shocks€and€another,€an€asthmatic€patient,€was€not€allowed€to€use€his€inhalatorÐ  p Ðwhen€he€suffered€a€serious€attack€of€asthma€at€the€police€station.€€Six€of€the€alleged€victims€wereÐ  \ ÐRoma.Ð øH ÐÌ175.à  àThe€Yugoslav€Lawyers€Committee€for€Human€Rights€provided€information€on€16€cases,€allÐ Ð  Ðbut€4€of€which€had€occurred€in€Serbia€after€5€October€2000.€€The€reports€alleged€severe€beatings€withÐ ¼  Ðtruncheons,€òòfalaqaóó,€denial€of€medical€assistance€to€an€unconscious€victim,€sexual€assault€(possiblyÐ ¨ø Ðrape)€and€the€discharge€of€firearms€close€to€the€head.€€The€incidents€reportedly€took€place€in€theÐ ”ä Ðstreet,€as€well€as€during€questioning€at€police€stations.€€In€one€case€the€victim€was€allegedly€beatenÐ €Ð Ðby€prison€guards€and€in€another€by€soldiers.€€The€locations€included€Belgrade,€Leskovac,€Tutin,Ð l¼ ÐSjenica€(both€in€the€Sandzak),€Surdulica,€Prokuplje€and€Vranje.Ð X ¨ ÐÌ176.à  àThe€Minority€Rights€Centre,€an€NGO€that€monitors€the€situation€of€Roma,€reported€that€thisÐ 0"€  Ðminority€was€particularly€exposed€to€violence€by€the€police€and€provided€some€examples,€which€areÐ #l! Ðincluded€in€a€report€entitled€ð ðAbuses€of€Roma€Rights€in€Serbiaðð.òò2€€óóInformation€was€also€received€fromÐ $X" Ðother€NGOs€following€the€visit,€including€the€Leskovac€Committee€for€Human€Rights,€the€SandzakÐ ô$D # ÐCommittee€for€Human€Rights€and€Freedoms€and€the€Bujanovac€Committee€for€Human€Rights.€€TheÐ à%0!$ Ðcases€presented€came€from€most€regions€of€Serbia.€€Ð Ì&"% ÐÌòòC.€€Information€received€from€government€officialsóóÐ ¤(ô#' ÐÌ177.à  àVirtually€all€government€officials€with€whom€the€members€of€the€Committee€met€admitted€thatÐ |*Ì%) Ðtorture€had€been€practised€extensively€under€the€former€regime.€€They€claimed,€however,€that€underÐ h+¸&* Ðthe€new€Government€the€situation€had€changed€completely,€particularly€as€far€as€the€attitude€of€theÐ T,¤'+ Ðpolice€was€concerned.Ð @-(, Ї178.à  àThe€Minister€of€Internal€Affairs€stated€that€torture€was€no€longer€used€by€the€police.€€SomeÐ ° Ðcases€of€excessive€use€of€force€had€occurred€since€October€2000,€but€the€appropriate€measures€hadÐ œì Ðbeen€adopted.€€Those€measures€included€initiating€disciplinary€and,€if€necessary,€criminalÐ ˆØ Ðinvestigations€and€the€suspension€from€service€of€the€alleged€perpetrators€while€the€investigationsÐ tÄ Ðwere€being€conducted.€€He€also€said€that€all€the€senior€officers€of€the€Ministry€had€changed€and€thatÐ `° Ðthe€process€of€changing€other€personnel€was€almost€completed€in€all€regions.€€Almost€two€thirds€ofÐ L œ Ðthe€heads€of€police€stations€throughout€Serbia€had€changed.Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌ179.à  àThe€Director€of€Prisons€at€the€Ministry€of€Justice€stated€that€torture€in€prisons€had€beenÐ  ` Ðeradicated.€€This€had€been€achieved€mainly€by€changing€the€wardens€and€their€deputies.€€A€largeÐ ü L  Ðnumber€of€prison€staff€had€been€dismissed€and€criminal€charges€had€been€brought€against€many€ofÐ è 8  Ðthem.€€He€did€not€have€statistics,€however,€about€the€number€of€persons€involved.€€Cases€of€excessiveÐ Ô$  Ðuse€of€force€by€prison€guards€were€now€rare€and€ended€up€generally€with€the€dismissal€of€those€foundÐ À  Ðguilty.€€The€Ministry€did€not€have€statistics€about€those€cases€either.€€All€prisoners€were€examined€byÐ ¬ü  Ða€doctor€upon€their€arrival€in€prison.€€If€they€alleged€having€been€tortured€or€ill„treated€by€the€police,Ð ˜è  Ðthis€information€would€be€included€in€their€medical€reports€and€made€available€to€the€investigatingÐ „Ô  Ðjudge.€€He€acknowledged€that€a€system€of€prison€inspection€by€an€independent€body€did€not€exist.€Ð pÀ ÐFor€that€reason€he€had€invited€the€Helsinki€Committee€for€Human€Rights€to€carry€out€visits€to€prisons.€Ð \¬ ÐEfforts€were€being€made,€however,€to€establish€a€monitoring€system€with€the€participation€of€expertsÐ H˜ Ðnot€belonging€to€the€Ministry.Ð 4„ ÐÌòòD.€€Legal€safeguards€for€the€prevention€of€torture€and€ill„treatmentóóÐ  \ ÐÌ180.à  àThe€new€Criminal€Procedure€Code€(CPC),€which€entered€into€force€on€28€March€2002,Ð ä4 Ðcontains€important€improvements€with€respect€to€its€predecessor€regarding€law€enforcementÐ Ð  Ðprocedures€at€the€pre„trial€stage.€€Some€of€these€improvements€are€of€direct€relevance€to€theÐ ¼  Ðprevention€of€torture,€such€as€limits€on€the€time€that€a€person€can€be€held€in€police€custody€and€theÐ ¨ø Ðright€to€a€defence€counsel.€€However,€CPC€is€not€applicable€to€persons€detained€on€suspicion€ofÐ ”ä Ðcommitting€a€misdemeanour.€€According€to€the€Law€on€Misdemeanours,€the€police€may€detainÐ €Ð Ðsuspects€for€up€to€24€hours€before€bringing€them€before€a€judge.€€Suspects€have€no€right€of€accessÐ l¼ Ðto€a€defence€counsel€while€in€police€custody.€€The€Committee€members€noted€that€suspectedÐ X ¨ Ðmisdemeanours€were€frequently€cited€as€the€reason€for€detention€in€police€stations.€€According€toÐ D!” Ðinformation€provided€to€them€by€the€Ministry€of€Internal€Affairs,€in€the€period€from€January€to€JuneÐ 0"€  Ð2002,€1,918€persons€were€detained€and€1,865€were€deprived€of€their€liberty.€€Of€these€1,104€personsÐ #l! Ðwere€detained€in€police€premises€for€misdemeanours€against€public€order€alone.€€On€the€basis€of€theseÐ $X" Ðstatistics,€the€protection€afforded€by€the€new€CPC,€including€the€right€of€access€to€a€defence€counsel,Ð ô$D # Ðappears€not€to€apply€to€a€significant€number€of€individuals€detained€by€the€police.Ð à%0!$ ÐÑ  ÑÌ181.à  àThe€general€principle€concerning€the€right€to€a€defence€counsel€is€contained€in€article€5€ofÐ ¸'#& ÐCPC,€according€to€which€a€person€deprived€of€liberty€shall€be€immediately€informed€that€he€is€entitledÐ ¤(ô#' Ðto€a€defence€counsel€of€his€own€choice€and€to€request€that€members€of€his€family€or€other€personsÐ )à$( Ðclose€to€him€be€informed€of€his€detention.Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ182.à  àArticle€226€of€CPC€provides€that€in€the€course€of€collecting€information€an€individual€may€beÐ T,¤'+ Ðsummoned€by€the€police€but€may€not€be€questioned€for€more€than€four€hours.€€Force€may€not€be€usedÐ @-(, Ðto€obtain€information€from€citizens.€€An€official€note€or€a€record€shall€be€read€to€a€person€who€hasÐ ° Ðgiven€information.€€This€person€may€raise€objections,€and€the€police€authorities€are€obliged€to€noteÐ œì Ðthem€in€the€official€note€or€record.€€The€same€article€states€that€when€the€police€are€collectingÐ ˆØ Ðinformation€from€a€person€who€for€good€reasons€is€suspected€of€being€the€perpetrator€of€a€criminalÐ tÄ Ðoffence,€that€person€may€be€summoned€as€a€suspect;€the€summons€shall€contain€information€to€theÐ `° Ðeffect€that€the€suspect€is€entitled€to€have€a€defence€counsel.€€If€in€the€course€of€collecting€informationÐ L œ Ðthe€police€authority€deems€the€person€who€is€summoned€to€be€a€suspect,€it€should€immediately€informÐ 8 ˆ Ðhim€of€the€criminal€offence€with€which€he€is€charged,€of€his€right€to€have€a€defence€counsel,€who€shallÐ $ t Ðbe€present€at€further€interrogations,€and€that€he€is€not€obliged€to€answer€the€questions€put€to€him€inÐ  ` Ðthe€absence€of€his€defence€counsel.€€Article€226€also€stipulates€that€the€police€authority€shall€informÐ ü L  Ðthe€public€prosecutor€when€a€suspect€is€being€interrogated;€the€public€prosecutor€may€be€present€atÐ è 8  Ðthe€interrogation.Ð Ô$  ÐÌ183.à  àAccording€to€article€5€of€CPC,€a€person€who€has€been€detained€without€a€court€warrant€shallÐ ¬ü  Ðimmediately€be€brought€before€the€competent€investigating€judge.€€Article€227,€paragraph€3,€statesÐ ˜è  Ðthat€if€the€escort€of€the€person€deprived€of€liberty€takes€longer€than€eight€hours,€owing€to€unavoidableÐ „Ô  Ðobstacles,€the€authorized€police€official€is€obliged€to€give€the€reasons€for€the€delay€in€a€statement€toÐ pÀ Ðbe€submitted€to€the€investigating€judge.€€Furthermore,€article€229€stipulates€that€a€person€deprivedÐ \¬ Ðof€liberty€cannot€be€held€by€the€police€for€the€purpose€of€gathering€information€for€more€than€48Ð H˜ Ðhours€before€being€brought€before€a€judge.òò3óóÐ 4„ Ѐ€Ð  p Ð184.à  àAccording€to€the€information€received€by€the€Committee€members,€the€above€principles€seemÐ  \ Ðto€be€generally€observed€in€cases€where€CPC€applies.€€Nevertheless,€torture€still€seems€to€take€placeÐ øH Ðduring€the€48€hours€before€the€suspect€is€brought€before€a€judge€and€before€he€is€given€theÐ ä4 Ðopportunity€to€contact€his€lawyer.€€Sometimes€the€suspect€is€not€allowed€to€call€in€his€lawyer€or€doesÐ Ð  Ðnot€know€a€lawyer,€in€which€case€he€is€obliged€to€choose€one€from€the€list€proposed€by€the€police.€Ð ¼  ÐIn€some€of€the€cases€examined€by€the€members€the€alleged€victims€complained€that€the€lawyerððs€roleÐ ¨ø Ðhad€been€perfunctory€and€that€he€had€paid€no€attention€to€the€fact€that€his€client€had€been€ill„treated.€Ð ”ä ÐÌ185.à  àSome€of€the€officials€with€whom€the€Committee€members€met€argued€that€it€did€not€makeÐ l¼ Ðsense€for€the€police€to€extract€confessions€under€duress,€given€that€such€confessions€could€not€be€usedÐ X ¨ Ðas€evidence€in€legal€proceedings.€€In€this€regard,€article€89€of€CPC€stipulates€that€it€is€forbidden€toÐ D!” Ðuse€force€in€order€to€obtain€a€statement€or€confession€from€a€defendant€and€that,€in€case€of€failure€toÐ 0"€  Ðcomply€with€this€provision,€the€decision€of€the€court€may€not€be€based€on€such€statements€orÐ #l! Ðconfessions.€€The€members€believe,€however,€that€even€if€convictions€cannot€be€based€exclusively€onÐ $X" Ðconfessions€the€police€still€use€the€information€extracted€from€detainees€to€complete€theirÐ ô$D # Ðinvestigations.€€Incidentally,€some€of€the€police€officers€interviewed€by€the€Committee€membersÐ à%0!$ Ðduring€their€visits€to€police€stations€claimed€that€they€lacked€modern€equipment€for€crimeÐ Ì&"% Ðinvestigation€and€had€to€use€very€rudimentary€tools.Ð ¸'#& ÐÌ186.à  àIn€his€meeting€with€the€Committee€members€the€Public€Prosecutor€underlined€the€efforts€beingÐ )à$( Ðmade€to€change€the€police€mentality.€€In€his€opinion,€such€change€had€to€accompany€the€changes€withÐ |*Ì%) Ðregard€to€personnel€and€the€internal€reorganization€of€the€police€force€currently€under€way.€€TheÐ h+¸&* Ðpolice€approach€to€the€collection€of€evidence€had€to€change€too.€€The€police€had€to€understand€thatÐ T,¤'+ Ðevidence€of€a€crime€could€only€be€obtained€through€legal€means.€€This€was€very€important€for€hisÐ @-(, ÐOffice€since,€under€the€Yugoslav€legal€system,€public€prosecutors€did€not€direct€the€policeÐ ° Ðinvestigation€and€could€not€give€instructions€to€the€police€on€how€to€collect€evidence.Ð œì ÐÌ187.à  àThe€need€to€change€the€police€mentality€was€underlined€by€several€interlocutors,€as€well€asÐ tÄ Ðin€a€report€published€in€October€2001€by€OSCE,€entitled€ð ðStudy€on€Policing€in€the€Federal€RepublicÐ `° Ðof€Yugoslaviaðð.€€According€to€this€report,€ð ðthe€reason€why€so€many€situations€are€accompanied€byÐ L œ Ðassaults,€resistance€and€resentment€is€because€the€police€officers€not€only€fail€to€act,€but€fail€toÐ 8 ˆ Ðunderstand€that€it€is€their€duty€to€act,€according€to€a€professional€code€of€conduct.€€In€the€absenceÐ $ t Ðof€a€Code€of€Ethics€or€Policing€Principles,€this€latter€unsatisfactory€situation€would€seem€to€prevailÐ  ` Ðthroughout€Yugoslavia.€€It€is€therefore€proposed€that€a€major€programme€of€education€in€humanÐ ü L  Ðrights€for€police€officers€be€introduced€throughout€the€police€forces€of€Yugoslavia€that€is€credible€andÐ è 8  Ðpractically€related€to€operational€police€situationsðð.òò4óó€€Ð Ô$  ÐÌòòE.€€Investigation€and€punishment€of€those€responsible€for€tortureóóÐ ¬ü  ÐÌòò1.€€Disciplinary€proceedingsóóÐ „Ô  ÐÌ188.à  àThe€Chief€of€Public€Security€for€Serbia,€who€is€responsible€for€Internal€Police€Oversight€atÐ \¬ Ðthe€Ministry€of€Internal€Affairs,€explained€to€the€Committee€members€that€each€regional€policeÐ H˜ Ðdepartment€had€a€unit€of€internal€control€that€reviewed€and€supervised€every€police€officer.€€If€a€unitÐ 4„ Ðreceived€information€on€police€abuses€from€any€source,€it€could€initiate€an€investigation€and€bring€theÐ  p Ðcase€before€the€corresponding€disciplinary€tribunals€established€by€the€Ministry.€€DisciplinaryÐ  \ Ðmeasures€included€a€reduction€in€monthly€salary€of€up€to€30€per€cent€for€one€to€sixmonths€andÐ øH Ðtransfer€to€a€lower€salary€level€for€a€certain€time.€€Ultimately,€the€officer€concerned€could€beÐ ä4 Ðdismissed€from€service.€€Disciplinary€proceedings€could€be€conducted,€regardless€of€any€criminalÐ Ð  Ðprocedure€under€way.€€The€Committee€members€were€subsequently€informed€by€the€Ministry€that€392Ð ¼  Ðcomplaints€had€been€submitted€against€the€police€in€the€period€January„June€2002,€of€which€43€casesÐ ¨ø Ðwere€considered€to€be€well€founded€and€resulted€in€the€initiation€of€disciplinary€proceedings.€Ð ”ä ÐHowever,€the€information€did€not€specify€how€many€complaints€included€allegations€of€torture€or€ill„Ð €Ð Ðtreatment€and€whether€any€criminal€proceedings€had€been€initiated.Ð l¼ ÐÌ189.à  àThe€members€note€that,€according€to€the€Decree€on€Disciplinary€Responsibilities€in€theÐ D!” ÐMinistry€of€Internal€Affairs,òò5óó€€which€regulates€internal€disciplinary€proceedings,€the€decision€whetherÐ 0"€  Ðto€proceed€with€such€proceedings€lies€with€the€officer€immediately€in€command€of€the€officer€againstÐ #l! Ðwhom€a€complaint€has€been€made.€€The€commanding€officer€assesses€whether€the€evidence€gives€riseÐ $X" Ðto€suspicion€that€a€violation€has€taken€place€and€passes€the€case€on€to€the€prosecutor€of€theÐ ô$D # Ðdisciplinary€tribunal.€€This€gives€commanding€officers€the€opportunity€to€block€proceedings€againstÐ à%0!$ Ðmembers€of€their€unit.€€Furthermore,€the€members€received€allegations€indicating€that€the€Decree€andÐ Ì&"% Ðpolice€practice€failed€to€ensure€that€any€injured€party€is€informed€of€the€progress€and€outcome€of€theÐ ¸'#& Ðproceedings.Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌ190.à  àRegarding€the€functioning€of€the€disciplinary€tribunals,€NGOs€reported€that,€although€theÐ |*Ì%) Ðpolice€are€now€far€more€responsive€to€the€complaints€and€observations€of€human€rights€organizations,Ð h+¸&* Ðthey€frequently€attempt€to€deny€that€a€specific€instance€of€torture€occurred€or,€if€that€is€impossibleÐ T,¤'+ Ðbecause€of€compelling€evidence€(such€as€medical€records,€photographs€and€eyewitnesses),€they€Ô_ÔtellÐ @-(, Ðthe€public€that€the€case€will€be€investigated€and€the€perpetrators€brought€to€account.€€However,€thisÐ ° Ðdoes€not€always€happen.€€In€serious€cases€of€torture,€and€in€spite€of€clear€evidence€to€the€contrary,Ð œì Ðdisciplinary€tribunals€regularly€give€more€credence€to€the€statements€of€the€officers€involved€than€toÐ ˆØ Ðthose€of€the€victims.€€Furthermore,€there€seem€to€be€instances€in€which€officers€serving€on€disciplinaryÐ tÄ Ðtribunals€have€themselves€been€accused€of€committing€acts€of€torture.€€Ð `° ÐÌ191.à  àIn€its€study€on€policing€referred€to€earlier,€Ô_ÔOSCEÔ_Ô€said€that€there€was€a€need€to€assure€theÐ 8 ˆ Ðquality€of€the€work€of€all€Internal€Control€Units€in€a€way€that€satisfied€the€public€and€that€in€order€toÐ $ t Ðaddress€the€publicððs€concerns€it€was€necessary€to€create€an€independent€body€with€substantial€powersÐ  ` Ðof€oversight€and€intervention.€€The€report€added€that€there€must€be€ð ðexternal€and€totally€independentÐ ü L  Ðoversight€of€police€investigation€of€complaints€in€the€future€if€the€police€are€to€be€held€properlyÐ è 8  Ðaccountable,€but€the€Authority€responsible€for€it€must€possess€robust€powers€to€require€theÐ Ô$  Ðproduction€of€documents,€papers€and€files€relating€to€the€complaint€and€be€empowered€to€directÐ À  Ðfurther€investigation€if€necessaryðð.òò6óóÐ ¬ü  ÐÌòò2.€€Criminal€proceedingsóóÐ „Ô  ÐÌ192.à  àThe€members€of€the€Committee€noted€a€number€of€weaknesses€in€the€legislation€regarding€theÐ \¬ Ðprohibition€of€torture€and€in€the€functioning€of€the€institutions€charged€with€the€investigation€ofÐ H˜ Ðcomplaints.Ð 4„ ÐÌ193.à  àIn€its€conclusions€and€recommendations€on€the€initial€report€of€Yugoslavia,€the€CommitteeÐ  \ Ðexpressed€concern€at€the€absence€in€the€criminal€law€of€a€provision€defining€torture€as€a€specific€crimeÐ øH Ðin€accordance€with€article€1€of€the€Convention€and€recommended€that€the€crime€of€torture€beÐ ä4 Ðincorporated€verbatim€into€the€Yugoslav€criminal€codes.òò7€€óóThis€situation€remains€unchanged.€€As€aÐ Ð  Ðresult,€the€perpetrators€of€acts€of€torture€can€only€be€charged€under€criminal€provisions€such€asÐ ¼  Ðð ðextraction€of€statementsððòò8óó€or€ð ðcivil€injuryðð.òò9óó€€The€scope€of€these€provisions,€however,€is€moreÐ ¨ø Ðrestrictive€than€the€definition€in€article€1.€€For€instance,€situations€where€torture€is€committed€at€theÐ ”ä Ðinstigation€of€or€with€the€consent€or€acquiescence€of€a€public€official€do€not€seem€to€be€envisaged€inÐ €Ð Ðthose€provisions.€€Furthermore,€judges€in€general€do€not€seem€to€be€fully€aware€of€YugoslaviaððsÐ l¼ Ðinternational€obligations€regarding€human€rights€and€the€Convention€in€particular.€This€was€confirmedÐ X ¨ Ðby€the€members€of€the€Serbian€Supreme€Court€with€whom€the€Committee€members€met,€who€statedÐ D!” Ðthat€judges€often€learned€about€these€obligations€and€the€jurisprudence€of€international€bodies€onlyÐ 0"€  Ðwhen€Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô€brought€them€to€their€attention.Ð #l! ÐÌ194.à  àBroadly€speaking,€it€seems€that€judges€and€prosecutors€only€undertake€an€investigation€if€theyÐ ô$D # Ðreceive€a€formal€complaint€from€the€victim€or€his€lawyer.€€When€asked€about€the€reaction€of€theÐ à%0!$ Ðinvestigating€judges€when€somebody€complained€of€torture,€the€members€of€the€Supreme€Court€saidÐ Ì&"% Ðthat,€in€theory,€the€judges€had€to€inform€the€public€prosecutor€about€the€facts€and€that€it€was€up€toÐ ¸'#& Ðthe€public€prosecutor€to€initiate€proceedings.€€They€added€that€in€practice,€however,€the€publicÐ ¤(ô#' Ðprosecutors€took€action€only€when€a€lawyer€filed€a€complaint€and€brought€the€case€to€public€notice.€Ð )à$( ÐÌ195.à  àThe€lack€of€Ô_ÔprosecutorialÔ_Ô€action€was€even€more€flagrant€in€the€past€and€in€regions€such€asÐ h+¸&* ÐÔ_ÔKosovoÔ_Ô€and€Ô_ÔSandzakÔ_Ô.òò10€€óóWhen€Committee€members€raised€this€question€with€the€Public€ProsecutorÐ T,¤'+ Ðof€Serbia,€especially€regarding€cases€that€occurred€before€October€2000,€he€said€that€someÐ @-(, Ðprosecutors€were€dealing€with€cases€but€that€he€did€not€have€information€about€them€at€present.€€HisÐ ° ÐÔ_ÔOffice€had€also€dealt€with€some€war€crimes.€€However,€they€were€very€difficult€to€investigate€becauseÐ œì Ðthe€evidence€had€to€be€provided€by€the€police,€who€were€not€always€willing€to€cooperate.òò11óóÐ ˆØ ÐÌ196.à  àOne€of€the€first€obstacles€encountered€by€the€victims€when€filing€complaints€is€the€pressureÐ `° Ðto€refrain€from€doing€so€put€on€them€by€the€police,€who€threaten€to€press€charges€of€their€own€againstÐ L œ Ðthem.€€If€the€victims€nevertheless€go€ahead€with€their€complaints,€the€police€systematically€fileÐ 8 ˆ Ðcomplaints€against€them€for€obstructing€a€law€enforcement€officer€in€the€performance€of€his€dutyÐ $ t Ð(article€213€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code)€or€for€breaching€the€public€peace.€€The€CommitteeÐ  ` Ðmembers€were€informed€of€one€such€case€in€which€the€four„month€suspended€prison€sentence€forÐ ü L  Ðalleged€obstruction€(swearing€at€police€officers)€was€almost€as€harsh€as€that€given€to€a€police€officerÐ è 8  Ðfor€causing€bodily€injury.€€Furthermore,€it€was€repeatedly€alleged€that€the€police€complaint€wasÐ Ô$  Ðusually€dealt€with€very€quickly,€whereas€the€victimððs€complaint€was€investigated€very€slowly€or€notÐ À  Ðat€all.€€While€members€of€the€Serbian€Supreme€Court€told€the€Committee€members€that€they€couldÐ ¬ü  Ðneither€confirm€nor€dismiss€this€allegation,€the€Public€Prosecutor€said€that€he€was€aware€of€theÐ ˜è  Ðsituation.Ð „Ô  ÐÌ197.à  àRegarding€the€role€of€prosecutors€in€the€investigation€of€complaints,€a€number€ofÐ \¬ Ðinterlocutors,€including€the€Public€Prosecutor€himself,€underlined€the€fact€that€prosecutors€have€noÐ H˜ Ðcontrol,€in€practice,€over€the€police€as€far€as€the€collection€of€evidence€is€concerned.òò12€€óóThe€CommitteeÐ 4„ Ðmembers€note€with€concern€that€this€is€contrary€to€the€provisions€of€article€46€of€CPC,€according€toÐ  p Ðwhich€the€Public€Prosecutor€shall€be€competent€to€request€that€an€investigation€be€carried€out€and€toÐ  \ Ðdirect€pre„trial€proceedings.€€The€same€provision€states€that€police€officers€and€other€State€authoritiesÐ øH Ðcompetent€to€investigate€criminal€offences€are€under€obligation€to€proceed€with€their€inquiryÐ ä4 Ðwhenever€the€competent€public€prosecutor€so€requests.Ð Ð  ÐÌ198.à  àNGOs€reported€that€prosecutors€very€often€fail€to€prosecute€acts€of€torture€and€do€not€evenÐ ¨ø Ðinform€the€alleged€victim€about€the€outcome€of€his/her€complaint.€€The€lack€of€notification,€however,Ð ”ä Ðcan€be€an€important€obstacle€to€the€continuation€of€the€proceedings.€€Under€article€61€of€CPC,€whenÐ €Ð Ðthe€prosecutor€dismisses€a€criminal€complaint€or€decides€to€withdraw€charges,€the€injured€party€mayÐ l¼ Ðassume€the€capacity€of€private€prosecutor€and€proceed€with€the€case€within€eight€days€of€beingÐ X ¨ Ðnotified€of€the€prosecutorððs€decision.€€If€the€injured€party€does€not€receive€such€notification,€the€CodeÐ D!” Ðprovides€a€time€period€of€three€months,€starting€from€the€date€the€complaint€was€dismissed€or€theÐ 0"€  Ðcharges€withdrawn,€for€the€injured€party€to€institute€criminal€proceedings.€€Members€of€the€SupremeÐ #l! ÐCourt€confirmed€that€failure€to€notify€was€very€common€but€that€judges€allowed€the€injured€party€toÐ $X" Ðcontinue€the€proceedings€as€private€prosecutor€even€in€the€absence€of€such€notification.Ð ô$D # ÐÌ199.à  àNGOs€provided€information€on€a€number€of€cases€in€which€police€officers€had€been€foundÐ Ì&"% Ðguilty€of€acts€relating€to€torture.€€They€alleged,€however,€that€few€cases€reached€the€courts€and€thatÐ ¸'#& Ðvery€seldom€did€those€responsible€for€acts€of€torture€receive€sentences€commensurate€with€the€gravityÐ ¤(ô#' Ðof€the€crime€committed.€€The€sentences€rarely€exceed€six€monthsðð€imprisonment€and€are€frequentlyÐ )à$( Ðsuspended,€which€allows€the€police€officers€in€question€to€keep€their€jobs.òò13óó€€They€also€reported€thatÐ |*Ì%) Ðnormally€police€officers€are€not€suspended€from€their€duties€while€they€are€under€investigation.€Ð h+¸&* ÐMembers€of€the€Supreme€Court€shared€the€view€that€only€a€few€cases€of€torture€reach€the€courts.€Ð T,¤'+ ÐThe€Deputy€Minister€of€Justice€of€Serbia€said€that€only€in€a€small€number€of€cases€do€the€victims€ofÐ @-(, Ðtorture€file€complaints€and€that€an€even€smaller€number€end€up€in€convictions.€€Furthermore,€theÐ ° Ðsentences€given€by€the€judges€are€generally€very€light,€and€are€sometimes€even€conditional€sentences.Ð œì ÐÌ200.à  àNGOs€also€alleged€that€very€often€trials€have€to€be€postponed,€even€several€times€in€the€sameÐ tÄ Ðcase,€because€of€failure€by€the€accused€policemen€to€show€up€at€the€hearings.€€Members€of€theÐ `° ÐSupreme€Court€confirmed€this€allegation.€€Apparently,€when€confronted€with€this€situation€judgesÐ L œ Ðcomplain€to€the€competent€head€of€the€police,€but€such€complaints€do€not€always€receive€a€properÐ 8 ˆ Ðresponse.òò14óóÐ $ t ÐÌ201.à  àRepresentatives€of€the€Sandzak€Committee€for€the€Protection€of€Human€Rights€told€theÐ ü L  ÐCommittee€members€about€some€of€the€difficulties€they€faced€when€filing€criminal€complaints€aboutÐ è 8  Ðincidents€that€had€taken€place€some€years€earlier.€€They€said€that€in€2001€and€2002€they€filed€33Ð Ô$  Ðcomplaints€regarding€acts€falling€under€articles€65€and€66€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code€that€had€takenÐ À  Ðplace€in€Sandzak,€mainly€in€the€1990s.€€Only€two,€however,€were€under€investigation;€all€the€othersÐ ¬ü  Ðhad€been€dismissed.€€They€said€that€it€was€very€difficult€for€the€lawyers€to€submit€medical€evidence,Ð ˜è  Ðgiven€that€between€1992€and€1997€medical€institutions€were€not€allowed€to€provide€medical€reportsÐ „Ô  Ðto€victims€of€police€brutality.€€The€documentary€evidence€that€accompanied€complaints€consistedÐ pÀ Ðmainly€of€testimonies,€names€of€witnesses€and€photographs.€€They€said€that,€in€their€opinion,€theÐ \¬ ÐDistrict€Prosecutor€misinterpreted€article€65€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code:€€according€to€hisÐ H˜ Ðunderstanding,€a€crime€existed€only€if€the€acts€in€question€resulted€in€serious€bodily€harm.€€AnotherÐ 4„ Ðdifficulty€they€encountered€was€that€some€of€the€cases€involved€crimes€that€were€subject€to€statutoryÐ  p Ðlimitations.òò15óóÐ  \ ÐÌ202.à  àWhen€the€Committee€members€took€these€allegations€up€with€the€District€Prosecutor€of€NoviÐ ä4 ÐPazar,€he€pointed€out€that€the€time€limit€for€submitting€complaints€under€articles€65€and€66€was€fiveÐ Ð  Ðyears€and€that€many€of€the€cases€were€therefore€subject€to€statutory€limitations.€€He€added€that,€apartÐ ¼  Ðfrom€the€33€cases€referred€to€above,€his€Office€and€the€municipal€judges€had€dealt€with€many€othersÐ ¨ø Ðduring€the€previous€10€years.€€He€promised€to€collect€data€and€some€statistics€in€this€regard€and€toÐ ”ä Ðforward€them€to€the€Committee.€€No€information,€however,€was€ever€received.Ð €Ð ÐÌòòIV.€€FINDINGS€OF€THE€COMMITTEE€WITH€RESPECT€TO€MONTENEGROóóÐ X ¨ ÐÌ203.à  àOnly€a€few€of€the€cases€reported€to€the€Committee€by€NGOs€since€1997€occurred€inÐ 0"€  ÐMontenegro.€€During€the€visit,€NGOs€in€Montenegro€provided€the€Committee€members€withÐ #l! Ðinformation€about€some€cases.€€One€NGO€stated€that€its€lawyers€had€filed€20€complaints€which,€atÐ $X" Ðthe€time€of€the€visit,€were€at€different€stages€of€the€criminal€procedure.€€None€of€the€CommitteeððsÐ ô$D # Ðinterlocutors€described€the€use€of€torture€in€the€Republic€as€systematic,€either€in€the€past€or€at€theÐ à%0!$ Ðpresent€time.€€Ð Ì&"% ÐÌ204.à  àDuring€their€stay€in€Montenegro€the€members€of€the€Committee€visited€the€prison€in€Spuðž ð.€Ð ¤(ô#' ÐThe€Committee€had€not€been€informed€of€allegations€of€torture€or€ill„treatment€in€that€prison.€€TheÐ )à$( Ðprison€director€explained€that,€during€the€previous€three€years,€he€had€been€engaged€in€an€extensiveÐ |*Ì%) Ðreform€programme€which€included€staff€training.€€A€great€deal€of€emphasis€had€been€placed€onÐ h+¸&* Ðestablishing€the€best€relations€possible€between€staff€and€prisoners.€€In€2002€only€two€instances€ofÐ T,¤'+ Ðexcessive€use€of€force€were€reported.€€The€first€incident€concerned€a€mentally€ill€prisoner€who€hadÐ @-(, Ðbeen€beaten€by€a€prison€guard€for€refusing€to€leave€his€cell.€€The€second€concerned€a€prisoner€whoÐ ° Ðphysically€attacked€a€witness€in€court;€force€was€used€to€subdue€the€prisoner€when€he€had€alreadyÐ œì Ðbegun€to€retreat.€€The€guards€involved€in€these€two€cases€were€punished€by€paying€them€only€half€ofÐ ˆØ Ðtheir€salaries€for€three€months.€€Had€those€acts€resulted€in€serious€injuries€to€the€prisoners,€theÐ tÄ Ðincidents€would€have€been€treated€as€assaults,€i.e.€as€criminal€cases.€Ð `° ÐÌ205.à  àThe€Director€further€explained€that€all€prisoners€were€examined€by€a€doctor€upon€their€arrivalÐ 8 ˆ Ðin€prison.€€Any€injuries€were€noted.€€The€medical€reports€were€made€available€to€the€prisonerððsÐ $ t Ðlawyer,€his€or€her€family,€the€Minister€of€the€Interior€and€the€investigating€judge.€€Furthermore,€theÐ  ` Ðdoctor€on€duty€told€the€Committee€members€that€about€five€years€earlier€detainees€complainedÐ ü L  Ðfrequently€of€having€been€tortured€or€ill„treated€by€the€police€when€they€arrived€in€prison€and€thatÐ è 8  Ðthere€had€been€some€serious€cases.€€Since€then€the€situation€had€changed€a€great€deal,€although€thereÐ Ô$  Ðwere€still€detainees€who€reported€having€been€beaten€and€who€had€slight€injuries.€€The€members€ofÐ À  Ðthe€Committee€looked€at€the€medical€records€of€the€inmates€who€had€arrived€since€January€2002.€Ð ¬ü  ÐThere€were€167€men€and€8€women,€of€whom€39€men€had€alleged€having€been€beaten,€24€had€injuriesÐ ˜è  Ðthat€had€been€described€by€the€doctors€as€ð ðnot€seriousðð€and€3€had€ð ðseriousðð€injuries.Ð „Ô  ÐÌ206.à  àWhile€in€Spuðž ð€the€Committee€members€interviewed€three€prisoners.€€One€of€them,€recentlyÐ \¬ Ðarrived,€claimed€that€the€police€had€beaten€him€in€front€of€his€family€in€Berhane.€€According€to€hisÐ H˜ Ðmedical€report€he€had€three€fractured€ribs.€€The€second€interviewee,€who€had€been€convicted€of€drugÐ 4„ Ðtrafficking,€stated€that€when€he€was€arrested€in€1998€he€was€held€in€custody€for€three€days€beforeÐ  p Ðbeing€brought€before€a€judge.€€He€alleged€that€during€those€three€days€he€had€been€beaten€andÐ  \ Ðthreatened€with€a€pistol€shoved€into€his€mouth€in€order€to€get€him€to€provide€information€about€drugÐ øH Ðdealers€operating€in€Montenegro.€€Before€being€brought€before€a€judge€he€did€not€have€access€to€aÐ ä4 Ðlawyer.€€The€third€interviewee€had€been€arrested€some€three€days€prior€to€the€Committeeððs€visit€toÐ Ð  ÐSpuðž ð,€at€the€Yugoslav„Hungarian€border,€for€attempted€robbery€and€for€shooting€and€wounding€twoÐ ¼  Ðpetrol€station€attendants.€€He€claimed€that€for€about€one€day€he€was€deprived€of€food€and€water,€wasÐ ¨ø Ðnot€allowed€to€go€to€the€toilet€and€was€kept€with€his€hands€tied€very€tightly€behind€his€back.€€Ð ”ä ÐÌ207.à  àWhile€in€Montenegro€the€Committee€members€also€visited€the€police€station€in€Danilovgrad,Ð l¼ Ðwhere€there€were€no€detainees€at€the€time.€€They€also€visited€the€central€police€station€in€PodgoricaÐ X ¨ Ðwhere€there€was€one€detainee€who€had€just€been€arrested.€€Although€the€members€insisted€onÐ D!” Ðinterviewing€him€in€private,€they€were€not€allowed€to€do€so€for€reasons€that€were€not€clear.Ð 0"€  ÐÌ208.à  àThe€situation€in€Montenegro€regarding€the€right€to€file€complaints€and€to€have€oneððs€complaintÐ $X" Ðexamined€does€not€seem€to€differ€much€from€that€in€Serbia.€€Victims€who€file€complaints€very€oftenÐ ô$D # Ðfind€themselves€being€prosecuted€for€obstructing€a€law€enforcement€officer€in€the€performance€of€hisÐ à%0!$ Ðduty,€and€investigating€judges€do€not€inform€prosecutors€of€allegations€of€torture€or€ill„treatmentÐ Ì&"% Ðmade€by€detainees.€€The€Montenegrin€authorities€still€do€not€recognize€the€applicability€of€the€newÐ ¸'#& ÐFederal€Code€of€Criminal€Procedure€in€the€Republic€and€continue€to€apply€the€1976€Code,€underÐ ¤(ô#' Ðwhich€a€person€arrested€by€the€police€has€to€be€presented€before€an€investigating€judge€within€24Ð )à$( Ðhours€after€his€arrest.€€However,€in€certain€cases€article€196€permits€detained€persons€to€be€kept€inÐ |*Ì%) Ðcustody€for€72€hours€before€having€access€to€a€lawyer€and€before€being€brought€before€anÐ h+¸&* Ðinvestigating€judge.€€Furthermore,€torture€is€not€defined€in€the€Criminal€Code€of€Montenegro,€whichÐ T,¤'+ Ðcontains€similar€provisions€to€those€laid€down€in€articles€65€and€66€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code.Ð @-(, Ї209.à  àThe€government€officials€with€whom€the€Committee€members€met€expressed€theirÐ ° Ðcommitment€to€the€protection€of€human€rights€and€explained€some€of€the€initiatives€the€GovernmentÐ œì Ðof€Montenegro€was€taking€in€this€field,€such€as€the€drafting€of€a€law€to€establish€an€ombudsman,€theÐ ˆØ Ðmeasures€to€improve€the€functioning€of€the€criminal€justice€system€and€the€reform€of€the€police.€€TheyÐ tÄ Ðalso€expressed€their€willingness€to€cooperate€with€international€organizations.€€The€Deputy€MinisterÐ `° Ðof€the€Interior€said€that€hotlines€had€been€established€and€the€telephone€numbers€regularly€publishedÐ L œ Ðin€the€daily€newspaper€so€as€to€enable€every€citizen€to€call€and€complain€about€abuse€of€authority€byÐ 8 ˆ Ðofficials.€€In€addition,€training€programmes€on€human€rights€for€the€police€force€were€beingÐ $ t Ðdeveloped.€€In€2001€his€Ministry€had€received€nine€complaints€of€torture,€which€resulted€inÐ  ` Ðdisciplinary€proceedings€and€the€dismissal€of€18€officers.€€Ð ü L  ÐÌ210à  àWith€respect€to€criminal€proceedings,€the€Public€Prosecutor€of€Montenegro€said€that€althoughÐ Ô$  Ðby€law€prosecutors€could€initiate€proceedings€ex€officio,€this€possibility€was€used€only€in€exceptionalÐ À  Ðcircumstances.€€He€also€said€that€his€Office€was€promoting€a€reform€that€would€allow€publicÐ ¬ü  Ðprosecutors€to€supervise€and€direct€investigations€conducted€by€the€police.Ð ˜è  ÐÌòòV.€€CONCLUSIONS€AND€RECOMMENDATIONS€OF€THE€COMMITTEEóóÐ pÀ ÐÌ211.à  àSince€the€beginning€of€the€inquiry€the€Committee€examined€a€great€deal€of€information€fromÐ H˜ Ðreliable€sources€concerning€the€use€of€torture€in€Serbia€and€Montenegro€prior€to€October€2000.€€ThatÐ 4„ Ðinformation€was€corroborated€by€testimony€received€by€the€three€Committee€members€who€visitedÐ  p Ðthe€country€from€victims,€witnesses€and€government€officials.€€On€the€basis€of€that€information€theÐ  \ ÐCommittee€concluded€that€torture€had€been€systematically€practised€in€Serbia€prior€to€October€2000.òò16óó€Ð øH ÐFurthermore,€the€Committee€noted€with€dismay€that,€despite€the€gravity€of€the€cases,€no€significantÐ ä4 Ðsteps€were€being€taken€to€investigate€them,€punish€those€responsible€and€compensate€the€victims.€€TheÐ Ð  ÐCommittee€nevertheless€welcomed€the€establishment€of€the€Commission€for€Truth€andÐ ¼  ÐReconciliationòò17óó€with€a€mandate€to€encourage€and€organize€research€on€human€rights€abuses€andÐ ¨ø Ðbreaches€of€international€and€humanitarian€law€and€the€law€of€war€that€took€place€in€the€territory€ofÐ ”ä Ðthe€former€Yugoslavia,€with€a€view€to€establishing€the€truth€and€contributing€to€general€reconciliationÐ €Ð Ðwithin€Serbia€and€Montenegro€and€with€neighbouring€countries.€€It€noted€that€the€CommissionÐ l¼ Ðintended€to€collect€as€much€testimony€as€possible€and€to€establish€a€list€of€victims,€but€not€necessarilyÐ X ¨ Ða€list€of€perpetrators,€since€it€did€not€have€judicial€powers€to€deal€with€them.Ð D!” ÐÌ212.à  àIn€contrast€with€the€situation€prevailing€in€the€country€prior€to€October€2000,€the€CommitteeÐ #l! Ðobserved€that,€under€the€new€political€regime,€the€incidence€of€torture€appeared€to€have€droppedÐ $X" Ðconsiderably€and€torture€was€no€longer€systematic.òò18óó€€Nonetheless,€it€was€clear€that€cases€of€tortureÐ ô$D # Ðcontinued€to€occur,€particularly€in€police€stations,€and€that€reforms€of€the€police€and€the€judiciary€hadÐ à%0!$ Ðyet€to€demonstrate€their€full€effectiveness€in€preventing€and€punishing€the€practice.€€In€order€to€putÐ Ì&"% Ðan€end€to€an€apparent€culture€of€impunity,€senior€police€officers,€judges€and€prosecutors€who€seemedÐ ¸'#& Ðto€adopt€a€reactive€approach€to€the€problem€of€torture€must€become€proactive€in€dealing€with€it.€Ð ¤(ô#' ÐCurrently,€their€actions€appear€to€depend€largely€on€the€existence€of€public€pressure€to€act€in€certainÐ )à$( Ðcases,€the€submission€of€criminal€complaints€by€private€individuals€or€NGOs€representing€them,€orÐ |*Ì%) Ðthe€initiation€of€private€prosecutions.€€The€Committee€wishes€to€recall€in€this€regard€that€the€StateÐ h+¸&* Ðparty€has€an€obligation€to€spare€no€effort€to€investigate€all€cases€of€torture,€provide€compensation€forÐ T,¤'+ Ðthe€loss€or€injury€caused€and€prosecute€the€persons€responsible.€€Furthermore,€under€Security€Ô_ÔCouncilÐ @-(, Ðresolution€827€(1993)€and€the€Statute€of€the€International€Criminal€Tribunal€for€the€FormerÐ ° ÐYugoslavia€(Ô_ÔICTYÔ_Ô),€the€State€party€also€has€an€obligation€to€cooperate€fully€with€the€Tribunal€in€theÐ œì Ðinvestigation€and€prosecution€of€persons€accused€of€committing€serious€violations€of€internationalÐ ˆØ Ðhumanitarian€law,€including€torture.Ð tÄ ÐÌ213.à  àIn€the€light€of€these€conclusions,€the€Committee€considered€it€appropriate€to€make€theÐ L œ Ðfollowing€recommendations:Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌà  à(a)à ` àComplaints€relating€to€allegations€of€torture€by€public€officials€under€the€previousÐ  ` Ðregime€should€be€fully€and€impartially€investigated,€the€offenders€prosecuted€and€the€victimsÐ ü L  Ðcompensated.€€The€results€of€such€investigations€should€be€made€public;Ð è 8  ÐÌà  à(b)à ` àFull€cooperation€should€be€extended€to€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_Ô,€including€through€apprehending€andÐ À  Ðtransferring€those€persons€who€have€been€indicted€and€remain€at€large,€as€well€as€granting€theÐ ¬ü  ÐTribunal€full€access€to€requested€documents€and€potential€witnesses;Ð ˜è  ÐÌà  àÔ_Ô(c)Ô_Ôà ` àThe€Commission€for€Truth€and€Reconciliation€should€be€empowered€to€investigateÐ pÀ Ðall€allegations€of€torture€committed€under€the€previous€regime,€make€its€findings€public€andÐ \¬ Ðrecommend€remedial€action,€including€the€prosecution€of€individuals,€where€appropriate.€€TheÐ H˜ ÐCommission€should€be€given,€as€necessary,€the€authority€and€the€means€to€fulfil€its€mandate€as€soonÐ 4„ Ðas€possible;Ð  p ÐÌà  à(d)à ` àThe€law€should€ensure€that€safeguards€are€in€place€to€prevent€torture€of€all€detaineesÐ øH Ðin€police€custody,€whether€charged€with€serious€crimes€or€other€offences,€and€to€enable€them€to€notifyÐ ä4 Ðtheir€families€and€to€have€access€to€a€doctor€and€legal€counsel€of€their€choice;Ð Ð  ÐÌà  à(e)à ` àThe€State€party€should€fully€ensure€the€independence€of€the€judiciary€and€theÐ ¨ø ÐÔ_ÔprocuracyÔ_Ô;Ð ”ä ÐÌà  à(f)à ` àThe€State€party€should€take€such€measures€as€are€necessary€to€ensure€that€ethnic€andÐ l¼ Ðreligious€minorities€are€not€mistreated€by€law€enforcement€personnel€because€of€discrimination;Ð X ¨ ÐÌà  à(g)à ` àA€system€of€inspection€of€the€conditions€of€imprisonment€by€independent€expertsÐ 0"€  Ðshould€be€established.€€Visits€to€prisons€by€Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô€should€continue€to€be€allowed;Ð #l! ÐÌà  à(h)à ` àThe€crime€of€torture,€as€defined€in€the€Convention,€should€be€incorporated€into€theÐ ô$D # Ðdomestic€law.€€The€State€party€is€reminded€that€torture€is€considered€an€international€crime€underÐ à%0!$ Ðcustomary€international€law,€as€well€as€under€the€Convention.€€No€statute€of€limitations€should€applyÐ Ì&"% Ðto€torture€or€any€other€international€crime.€€In€parallel€with€this€the€right€to€fair€and€adequateÐ ¸'#& Ðcompensation€and€rehabilitation€should€be€introduced,€as€laid€out€in€the€Convention;€Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌà  à(Ô_ÔiÔ_Ô)à ` àUnder€article€12€of€the€Convention,€prosecutors€and€judges€should€investigateÐ |*Ì%) Ðallegations€of€torture€whenever€they€come€to€their€attention,€whether€or€not€the€victim€has€filed€aÐ h+¸&* Ðâ âformal€complaint.€€In€particular,€every€investigating€judge,€on€learning€from€a€detaineeððs€statementÐ T,¤'+ ÐÔ_Ôthat€he€or€she€has€been€subjected€to€torture,€should€initiate€promptly€an€effective€investigation€intoÐ ° Ðthe€matter;Ð œì Ðâ âÌà  à(j)à ` àIn€the€light€of€what€appears€to€be€a€culture€of€impunity,€investigation€of€cases€ofÐ tÄ Ðtorture€should€be€prompt,€impartial€and€effective.€€It€should€include€a€medical€examination€carried€outÐ `° Ðin€accordance€with€the€Istanbul€Protocol€on€the€Effective€Investigation€and€Documentation€of€TortureÐ L œ Ðand€Other€Cruel,€Inhuman€or€Degrading€Treatment€or€Punishment;Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌà  à(k)à ` àLaw€enforcement€personnel€should€have€at€their€disposal€all€modern€methods€andÐ  ` Ðequipment,€as€well€as€the€professional€training€necessary€to€conduct€effective€and€fair€criminalÐ ü L  Ðinvestigations;Ð è 8  ÐÌà  à(l)à ` àAll€law€enforcement€officers€should€be€trained€in€international€standards€relating€toÐ À  Ðthe€custody€and€treatment€of€detainees,€in€accordance€with€the€Convention€and€the€United€NationsÐ ¬ü  ÐCode€of€Conduct€for€Law€Enforcement€Officials;Ð ˜è  ÐÌà  à(m)à ` àMedical€examinations€of€all€detainees€should€be€carried€out€in€all€prisons€within€24Ð pÀ Ðhours€of€the€time€of€detention.€€Any€medical€examination€of€a€person€detained€should€contain:€€(i)€anÐ \¬ Ðaccount€of€statements€made€by€the€person€concerned€which€are€relevant€to€the€medical€examination,Ð H˜ Ðincluding€his/her€description€of€his/her€state€of€health€and€any€allegations€of€ill-treatment;€(ii)€anÐ 4„ Ðaccount€of€objective€medical€findings€based€on€a€thorough€examination;€(iii)€the€doctorððs€conclusionÐ  p Ðin€the€light€of€(i)€and€(ii).€€Furthermore,€the€result€of€the€medical€examination€referred€to€above€shouldÐ  \ Ðbe€made€available€to€the€prisoner€concerned€and€his/her€lawyer;Ð øH ÐÌà  à(n)à ` àJudges,€prosecutors€and€lawyers€should€be€made€fully€aware€of€Serbia€andÐ Ð  ÐMontenegroððs€international€obligations€in€the€field€of€human€rights,€particularly€those€enshrined€in€theÐ ¼  ÐConvention;Ð ¨ø ÐÌà  à(o)à ` àThe€State€party€should€establish€an€independent€mechanism€to€investigate€all€humanÐ €Ð Ðrights€abuses,€whenever€they€occur,€that€are€brought€to€its€attention;Ð l¼ ÐÌà  à(p)à ` àPersons€alleged€to€have€committed€acts€of€torture€should€be€suspended€from€officialÐ D!” Ðduties€during€the€investigation€of€such€allegations.€€Those€found€guilty€should€be€dismissed€fromÐ 0"€  Ðpublic€service€in€addition€to€any€other€punishment;Ð #l! ÐÌà  à(q)à ` àMeasures€should€be€taken€to€ensure€that€the€mechanisms€of€internal€oversight€of€theÐ ô$D # Ðpolice€function€promptly€and€are€independent€and€effective.€€An€independent€complaints€authorityÐ à%0!$ Ðwith€wide€powers€of€oversight€and€intervention€should€be€created€within€the€police€force;€Ð Ì&"% ÐÌà  à(r)à ` àThe€State€party€should€devise€appropriate€schemes€for€the€compensation€of€victimsÐ ¤(ô#' Ðof€torture;Ð )à$( ÐÌà  à(s)à ` àThe€State€party€should€develop€official€programmes€for€the€rehabilitation€of€victimsÐ h+¸&* Ðof€torture.€€Thus€far,€only€private€institutions€have€developed€such€programmes;Ð T,¤'+ ÐÔ_ÔÐ @-(, Ðà  à(t)à ` àThe€State€party€should€urge€the€Republic€of€Montenegro€to€adopt€those€guaranteesÐ ° Ðcontained€in€the€new€Code€of€Criminal€Procedure€that€are€relevant€for€the€prevention€of€torture€andÐ œì Ðill„treatment.Ð ˆØ ÐÌòòVI.€€ADOPTION€OF€THE€REPORT€BY€THE€COMMITTEE€AND€TRANSMISSION€TO€THEÐ `° ÐSTATE€PARTYóóÐ L œ ÐÌ214.à  àAt€its€twenty„ninth€session,€the€Committee€adopted€the€report€on€its€inquiry€and€decided€toÐ $ t Ðtransmit€it€to€the€State€party,€in€accordance€with€article€20,€paragraph€4,€of€the€Convention.€€TheÐ  ` ÐCommittee€invited€the€State€party,€under€rule€83,€paragraph€2,€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€to€inform€itÐ ü L  Ðof€the€action€taken€in€response€to€its€conclusions€and€recommendations.Ð è 8  ÐÌÌòòVII.€€SUMMARY€OF€THE€REPLY€FROM€THE€STATE€PARTYóóÐ ¬ü  ÐÌ215.à  àOn€13€October€2003€the€State€party€informed€the€Committee€that€its€recommendations€wereÐ „Ô  Ðvery€important€in€the€context€of€the€promotion€of€human€rights€to€be€conducted€under€theÐ pÀ Ðprogrammes€of€technical€assistance€to€be€provided€by€the€Office€of€the€High€Commissioner€forÐ \¬ ÐHuman€Rights€and€on€the€basis€of€the€memorandum€of€understanding€signed€by€the€Ministry€forÐ H˜ ÐForeign€Affairs€of€Serbia€and€Montenegro€and€the€Office€of€the€High€Commissioner.Ð 4„ ÐÌòòSafeguards€against€torture€and€other€forms€of€inadmissible€punishmentóó€Ð  \ ÐÌ216.à  àThe€Charter€on€Human€and€Minority€Rights€and€Civil€Liberties,€published€in€the€OfficialÐ ä4 ÐGazette€of€the€State€Union€No.€6/2003,€provides€in€its€article€12€not€only€for€the€prohibition€ofÐ Ð  Ðtorture,€but€also€for€an€explicit€prohibition€of€inhuman€or€degrading€treatment€or€punishment.€€In€thisÐ ¼  Ðsense,€it€constitutes€a€step€forward€with€respect€to€the€Constitution€of€the€Federal€Republic€ofÐ ¨ø ÐYugoslavia€and€the€Constitutions€of€the€Republics€of€Serbia€and€Montenegro.Ð ”ä ÐÌ217.à  àThe€Basic€Criminal€Code€of€Serbia€and€Montenegro€and€the€criminal€codes€of€the€memberÐ l¼ ÐStates€incriminate€unlawful€arrest,€extraction€of€statements€and€maltreatment€in€the€performance€ofÐ X ¨ Ðduty.€€At€the€time€of€the€adoption€of€the€amendments€to€the€Criminal€Code€of€the€Federal€RepublicÐ D!” Ðof€Yugoslavia€(now€the€Basic€Criminal€Code)€in€2001€it€was€cÔ_ÔonsideredÔ_Ô€that€the€internationalÐ 0"€  Ðobligations€under€the€Convention€were€incorporated€in€articles€190€and€191,€as€well€as€in€articles€65Ð #l! Ðand€66€of€the€Criminal€Code€of€the€Republic€of€Serbia€and€articles€47€and€48€of€the€Criminal€CodeÐ $X" Ðof€the€Republic€of€Montenegro.€€Furthermore,€article€12€of€the€2001€Code€of€Criminal€ProcedureÐ ô$D # Ðstates€that€any€violence€against€an€arrested€person€and€a€person€whose€freedom€is€limited,€as€well€asÐ à%0!$ Ðany€extraction€of€confession€or€any€other€statement€from€an€accused€or€any€other€person€participatingÐ Ì&"% Ðin€the€proceedings€are€prohibited€and€punishable.€€Other€provisions€of€the€Code€regardingÐ ¸'#& Ðinterrogation,€prohibition€of€the€use€of€force,€the€obligation€of€the€court€not€to€take€into€accountÐ ¤(ô#' Ðstatements€obtained€under€torture€and€to€remove€from€the€case€records€statements€obtained€inÐ )à$( Ðcontravention€of€the€prohibitions,€etc.€are€also€referred€to.Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ218.à  àThe€laws€of€the€member€States€concerning€the€enforcement€of€criminal€sanctions€contain€noÐ T,¤'+ Ðabsolute€prohibition€of€torture€and€other€similar€treatment.€€Nonetheless,€they€provide€for€humanÐ @-(, Ðtreatment€of€convicted€persons.€€The€member€States€have€also€taken€measures€to€reform€theirÐ ° Ðlegislation€in€order€to€guarantee€the€principle€of€the€independence€of€the€judiciary€with€respect€to€theÐ œì Ðexecutive.€€In€the€Republic€of€Serbia,€the€Law€on€Judges€was€amended€in€March€2003,€aligning€itÐ ˆØ Ðwith€international€standards.€€It€is€expected€that€the€Criminal€Code€will€be€amended€soon€to€includeÐ tÄ Ðthe€criminal€offence€of€torture.Ð `° ÐÌ219.à  àThe€Government€of€the€Republic€of€Montenegro€set€up€a€working€group€to€draft€a€CriminalÐ 8 ˆ ÐLaw,€a€Law€on€Criminal€Procedure€and€a€Law€on€the€State€Prosecutor.€€It€is€envisaged€that€theÐ $ t Ðcriminal€offence€of€torture€will€be€incorporated€in€the€Criminal€Law.€€The€Code€of€Criminal€ProcedureÐ  ` Ðis€expected€to€provide€for€the€verification€of€suspectsðð€allegations€during€pre-trial€and€investigationÐ ü L  Ðrelative€to€torture€and€other€inhuman€treatment€and€punishment.Ð è 8  ÐÌòòCharges€and€trials€in€the€period€1992„2002€in€the€cases€involving€torture€and€maltreatment€óóÐ À  ÐÌ220.à  àFrom€1€January€1992€to€30€September€2002,€the€Ministry€of€the€Interior€of€the€Republic€ofÐ ˜è  ÐSerbia€brought€32€charges€against€43€police€officials€on€suspicion€of€having€committed€21€criminalÐ „Ô  Ðoffences€of€maltreatment,€6€offences€of€unlawful€arrest,€3€offences€of€coercion€to€sexual€intercourse,Ð pÀ Ð3€offences€of€unnatural€carnal€knowledge€through€the€abuse€of€duty€and€extraction€of€statement€andÐ \¬ Ð1€offence€of€carnal€act€in€connection€with€the€criminal€offence€of€coercion€to€sexual€intercourse€orÐ H˜ Ðunnatural€carnal€knowledge€through€the€abuse€of€duty.€€The€greatest€number€of€charges€was€broughtÐ 4„ Ðin€2001€and€2002.Ð  p ÐÌ221.à  àBetween€1€January€2000€and€31€October€2002,€citizens€lodged€4,625€complaints€againstÐ øH Ðpolice€conduct;€523€of€them€were€considered€founded€and,€as€a€result,€disciplinary€action€was€takenÐ ä4 Ðagainst€158€officers€for€serious€breaches€of€duty€and€against€111€officers€for€minor€breaches€of€duty.€Ð Ð  ÐPending€completion€of€the€proceedings,€32€officers€were€removed.€€Ten€criminal€and€14€minorÐ ¼  Ðoffence€charges€were€brought,€while€4€officers€had€their€employment€contract€terminated€byÐ ¨ø Ðagreement.€€It€was€established€that€2,929€complaints€were€unfounded,€while€1,173€are€beingÐ ”ä Ðinvestigated.€€The€greatest€number€of€processed€cases€(32€criminal€charges€against€43€officers)Ð €Ð Ðinvolved€improper€and/or€excessive€use€of€force€related€to€the€use€of€means€of€coercion.€€ThreeÐ l¼ Ðpersons€died,€while€five€sustained€serious€injuries€in€those€incidents.€€Upon€completion€of€theÐ X ¨ Ðproceedings,€12€officers€were€sentenced€to€prison€terms€from€80€days€to€6€years.Ð D!” ÐÌ222.à  àDisciplinary€action€was€taken€against€32€officers,€4€officers€were€dismissed,€10€were€fined€andÐ #l! Ð5€were€given€another€assignment.€€Proceedings€against€two€officers€were€dropped,€five€wereÐ $X" Ðacquitted€and€proceedings€against€six€officers€are€pending.Ð ô$D # ÐÌ223.à  àIn€addition€to€legal€measures€taken€ex€officio€by€the€Ministry€of€the€Interior,€1,076€chargesÐ Ì&"% Ðwere€pressed€by€citizens€directly€to€the€Public€Prosecutor€against€1,578€officers,€most€often€becauseÐ ¸'#& Ðof€the€criminal€offence€of€maltreatment€in€the€line€of€duty€(930),€followed€by€extraction€of€statementÐ ¤(ô#' Ð(124)€and€unlawful€arrest.€€The€prosecution€of€most€of€the€charges€was€discontinued,€as€they€wereÐ )à$( Ðfound€baseless.Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ224.à  àIn€ruling€on€compensation€of€victims,€the€courts€have€begun€to€apply€the€Convention€againstÐ T,¤'+ ÐTorture€directly.Ð @-(, Ї225.à  àIn€Montenegro€disciplinary€actions€were€taken€against€258€police€officers€in€the€period€fromÐ ° Ð1€July€2001€to€1€September€2002.òò19€€óóLately,€attention€has€been€Ô_ÔfocusedÔ_Ô€on€the€regulation€andÐ œì Ðlimitation€of€police€powers,€including€the€use€of€force€and€firearms,€arrest,€treatment€of€persons€inÐ ˆØ Ðdetention€and€the€appointment€of€defence€counsel€upon€first€interrogation€while€in€custody.Ð tÄ ÐÌ226.à  àConcerning€the€recommendation€of€the€Committee€against€Torture€on€the€case€of€the€RomaÐ L œ Ðfrom€Ô_ÔDanilovgradÔ_Ô,€the€Government€of€Montenegro€authorized€the€State€Prosecutor€to€reach€a€courtÐ 8 ˆ Ðsettlement€to€compensate€the€victims€for€material€and€other€damage€in€the€amount€of€985€dinars.Ð $ t ÐÌòòSafeguards€against€torture€of€convicted€and€detained€personsóóÐ ü L  ÐÌ227.à  àIn€Serbia€convicted€and€detained€persons€are€allowed€to€submit€complaints€to€the€DirectorÐ Ô$  Ðof€the€Penal€Sanctions€Execution€Department€and€its€organizational€unit,€the€Surveillance€Service.Ð À  ÐÌ228.à  àEach€institution€is€routinely€surveyed€once€a€year.€€Besides€internal€surveillance,€delegates€ofÐ ˜è  Ðthe€International€Committee€of€the€Red€Cross€visit€penitentiary€facilities.€€Between€1999€andÐ „Ô  ÐDecember€2002€there€were€215€such€visits.Ð pÀ ÐÌ229.à  àA€long€period€of€economic€hardship€in€the€country€has€dramatically€affected€the€functioningÐ H˜ Ðof€institutions€for€the€execution€of€penal€sanctions.€€Over€the€past€two€years,€efforts€have€been€madeÐ 4„ Ðto€improve€the€financial€situation€of€prison€officers€and€their€incentives€for€work.€€As€a€result,€theÐ  p Ðtreatment€of€convicted€persons€has€improved€too.€€Efforts€have€also€been€made€to€ensure€betterÐ  \ Ðdetention€conditions.Ð øH ÐÌòòMeasures€taken€to€train€law€enforcement€officialsóóÐ Ð  ÐÌ230.à  àPolice€officers€in€both€union€member€States€undergo€training€to€prevent€torture.€€In€theÐ ¨ø ÐRepublic€of€Serbia€new€laws€on€police€and€police€training€are€being€prepared€and€are€expected€to€beÐ ”ä Ðready€for€adoption€in€the€autumn€of€2003.€€The€Ministry€of€the€Interior€has€decided€to€create€the€postÐ €Ð Ðof€Inspector€General€who€will€ensure€that€police€procedures€are€in€conformity€with€the€law.€€OfficersÐ l¼ Ðof€the€Ministry€of€the€Interior€are€made€aware€of€human€rights€instruments,€particularly€of€theÐ X ¨ Ðprohibition€of€torture,€humanitarian€law€and€the€Code€of€Conduct€for€Law€Enforcement€Officials€inÐ D!” Ðthe€training€received€at€secondary€and€higher€police€schools€and€Police€College,€as€well€as€seminars.€Ð 0"€  ÐÌÌ231.à  àIn€the€Republic€of€Montenegro,€a€new€draft€Police€Law€has€been€submitted€to€Parliament.€Ð ô$D # ÐThis€law€promotes€a€new€concept€of€public€administration€and€its€relationship€with€the€public€thatÐ à%0!$ Ðimplies€full€transparency,€openness€and€cooperation.€€Furthermore,€a€Code€of€Conduct€is€being€drawnÐ Ì&"% Ðup.€€In€2003,€a€number€of€conferences€and€seminars€on€human€rights€and€policing€have€been€held.€Ð ¸'#& ÐWith€the€assistance€of€Ô_ÔHLCÔ_Ô,€a€specialized€course€in€international€humanitarian€law€was€held€toÐ ¤(ô#' Ðeducate€judges,€prosecutors,€practising€lawyers€and€police€detective€inspectors.€€Seminars€devotedÐ )à$( Ðto€the€role€of€community€policing€also€took€place.Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌÌÐ @-(, ЇòòCooperation€with€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_ÔóóÐ ° ÐÌ232.à  àSerbia€and€Montenegro€attaches€great€importance€to€its€cooperation€with€the€Tribunal,€whichÐ ˆØ Ðis€conducted€under€the€Law€on€Cooperation€with€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_Ô.€€Pursuant€to€that€law,€a€NationalÐ tÄ ÐCooperation€Council€was€established.€€The€Council€developed€a€step„by„step€procedural€process€ofÐ `° Ðcooperation.€€Cooperation€is€evidenced€in€the€transfer€of€Ô_ÔindicteesÔ_Ô,€submission€of€documents,Ð L œ Ðassistance€in€hearing€witnesses€and€suspected€persons,€proceedings€before€national€courts€and€theÐ 8 ˆ Ðexecution€of€protective€measures.€€To€date,€9€indicted€persons€were€arrested€and€handed€over€to€theÐ $ t ÐTribunal€and€12€who€were€resident€in€the€country€voluntarily€surrendered.Ð  ` ÐÌ233.à  àÔ_ÔICTYÔ_Ô€has€forwarded€to€the€authorities€17€warrants€for€the€arrest€of€other€Ô_ÔindicteesÔ_Ô,€includingÐ è 8  ÐÔ_ÔRadovanÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔKaradzicÔ_Ô,€former€Bosnian€Serb€leader,€General€Ô_ÔRatkoÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔMladicÔ_Ô,€former€Bosnian€SerbÐ Ô$  Ðcommander,€Vladimir€Ô_ÔKovacevicÔ_Ô,€former€member€of€the€armed€forces€of€Serbia€and€Montenegro,€asÐ À  Ðwell€as€14€Bosnian€Serb€army€soldiers.€€Most€of€these€have€wanted€circulars€issued€on€them,€whereasÐ ¬ü  Ðtwo€of€them€will€have€them€issued€fairly€soon.€€From€early€2001€to€May€2003€Serbia€and€MontenegroÐ ˜è  Ðmet€99€requests€by€the€Office€of€the€Tribunalððs€Prosecutor€(Ô_ÔOTPÔ_Ô)€for€submission€of€documents.€€OnlyÐ „Ô  Ðin€eight€cases€was€Ô_ÔOTPÔ_Ô€told€that€its€request€could€not€be€met€or€that€the€requested€documents€did€notÐ pÀ Ðexist.€€Additionally,€14€requests€were€met€partially€by€submitting€part€of€the€requested€documents.Ð \¬ ÐÌ234.à  àAs€far€as€witnesses€are€concerned,€this€aspect€of€cooperation€consists€of€finding,€notifying€andÐ 4„ Ðserving€hearing€papers€or€waivers€for€witnesses€to€testify€on€classified€or€privileged€information.€Ð  p ÐBetween€the€beginning€of€2001€and€early€May€2003,€115€requests€were€made€by€Ô_ÔOTPÔ_Ô€or€the€TrialsÐ  \ ÐChamber;€in€only€10€cases€could€the€wanted€persons€not€be€identified.€€Serbia€and€Montenegro€fulfilsÐ øH Ðeven€other€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_Ô€requests,€such€as€those€to€set€up€meetings€with€government€authorities,€for€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_ÔÐ ä4 Ðinvestigators€to€be€present€during€the€exhumation€of€bodies,€etc.Ð Ð  ÐÌ235.à  àApart€from€that,€several€other€cases€have€been€or€are€being€tried€by€national€courts.€€In€JulyÐ ¨ø Ð2003€a€law€was€passed€dealing€with€the€organization€and€competence€of€government€authorities€inÐ ”ä Ðproceedings€against€perpetrators€of€war€crimes,€including€those€covered€by€article€5€of€the€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_ÔÐ €Ð ÐStatute.€€Under€this€law,€the€authorities€of€the€Republic€of€Serbia€have€the€authority€to€prosecuteÐ l¼ Ðperpetrators€of€war€crimes€committed€in€the€territory€of€the€former€Yugoslavia,€whatever€theÐ X ¨ Ðnationality€of€either€the€perpetrator€or€the€victim.€€The€law€provided€for€the€establishment€of€theÐ D!” ÐOffice€of€a€Special€War€Crimes€Prosecutor,€who€has€already€been€appointed.€€It€also€stipulates€thatÐ 0"€  Ðthe€District€Court€in€Belgrade€is€the€court€competent€to€decide€on€war€crimes€cases.Ð #l! ÐÌòòVIII.€€INFORMATION€RECEIVED€BY€THE€COMMITTEE€AFTER€ITS€VISIT€TO€SERBIAÐ ô$D # ÐAND€MONTENEGROóóÐ à%0!$ ÐÌ236.à  àIn€the€course€of€2003€and€the€beginning€of€2004,€Ô_ÔNGOsÔ_Ô€submitted€information€to€theÐ ¸'#& ÐCommittee€alleging,€inter€alia,€continuing€police€mistreatment€of€criminal€suspects,€failure€by€the€StateÐ ¤(ô#' Ðparty€to€cooperate€fully€with€Ô_ÔICTYÔ_Ô,€inadequate€efforts€to€prosecute€war€criminals€before€domesticÐ )à$( Ðcourts€and€an€inadequate€domestic€system€for€bringing€those€responsible€for€war€crimes€to€justice.Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌ237.à  àIt€was€reported,€in€particular,€that€during€the€investigation€of€the€assassination€of€PrimeÐ T,¤'+ ÐMinister€Ô_ÔZoranÔ_Ô€Ô_ÔDjindjicÔ_Ô€in€March€2003,€approximately€10,000€people€were€detained.€€They€were€heldÐ @-(, Ðwithout€their€detention€being€authorized€by€a€competent€judicial€body€and€without€access€to€lawyersÐ ° Ðor€family€members,€in€some€cases€for€up€to€two€months,€under€emergency€regulations€introducedÐ œì Ðafter€the€assassination.€€The€reports€also€suggested€widespread€ill„treatment€of€detainees,€sometimesÐ ˆØ Ðamounting€to€torture.€€Ð tÄ ÐÌ238.à  àA€number€of€individual€cases€allegedly€occurred€both€in€Serbia€and€in€Montenegro.€€Some€ofÐ L œ Ðthem€were€not€linked€to€the€investigation€of€the€assassination€of€the€Prime€Minister.Ð 8 ˆ ÐÌ239.à  àThe€Committee€took€note€with€concern€of€the€above€information.Ð  ` ÐÌÌòòIX.€€PUBLICATION€OF€THE€SUMMARY€ACCOUNTóóÐ Ô$  ÐÌ240.à  àAt€its€thirty„first€session,€the€Committee€decided€to€invite€the€State€party,€in€accordance€withÐ ¬ü  Ðarticle€20,€paragraph€5,€of€the€Convention€and€rule€84€of€its€rules€of€procedure,€to€inform€it€of€itsÐ ˜è  Ðobservations€regarding€the€possible€publication€of€a€summary€account€of€the€results€of€the€inquiry€inÐ „Ô  Ðits€annual€report.€€On€1€March€2004€the€State€party€replied€that€it€agreed€to€such€publication.€€At€itsÐ pÀ Ðthirty„second€session,€the€Committee€approved€the€summary€account€and€decided€to€include€it€in€theÐ \¬ Ðannual€report.Ð H˜ ÐÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ  p ÐÌòòNotesóóÐ øH ÐÌòò1óó/€€In€its€2001€Study€on€Policing€in€the€Federal€Republic€of€Yugoslavia,€Ô_ÔOSCEÔ_Ô€recommended€thatÐ Ð  Ða€major€and€comprehensive€review€of€detention€facilities€be€undertaken€(recommendation€No.€48).Ð ¼  ÐÌòò2óó/€€Ô_ÔPetarÔ_Ô€Antic,€Abuses€of€Roma€Rights€in€Serbia,€Belgrade,€2001.Ð ”ä ÐòòÌ3óó/€€This€period€was€three€days€under€the€previous€Ô_ÔCPCÔ_Ô.Ð l¼ ÐÌòò4óó/€€Ô_ÔOSCEÔ_Ô,€op.€cit.,€p.€24.Ð D!” ÐÌòòÔUSCE.,Ô5óó/€€€Decree€of€the€Government€of€the€Republic€of€Serbia€No.€05€Ô_ÔbrojÔ_Ô€011„5742/74,€of€23€SeptemberÐ #l! Ð1992.ÔCE.,US.,LÔÐ $X" ÐÌòò6óó/€€€Ô_ÔOSCEÔ_Ô,€op.€cit.,€pp.€22„23.Ð à%0!$ ÐÌòò7óó/€€òòOfficial€Records€of€the€General€Assembly,€Fifty„fourth€Session,€Supplement€No.€44óó€(A/54/44),Ð ¸'#& Ðparas.€35„52.Ð ¤(ô#' ÐÌòò8óó/€€€Article€65€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code€states:Ð |*Ì%) ÐÌà0  àà0` (#(#àà  àð ð(1)à ` àA€person€acting€in€an€official€capacity€who€uses€force€or€threats€or€other€proscribedÐ T,¤'+ Ðor€impermissible€means€with€the€intent€of€extracting€a€confession€or€other€statementÐ @-(, ÐÔ_Ôfrom€a€suspect,€witness,€expert€witness€or€other€person€shall€be€punished€with€a€termÐ ° Ðof€imprisonment€of€three€months€to€five€years.ððМì` (#` (# ÐÌà0  àà0` (#(#àà  àð ð(2)à ` àIf€the€extraction€of€a€confession€or€other€statement€is€accompanied€by€severe€violenceÐ tÄ Ðor€if€it€results€in€consequences€of€a€serious€nature€for€a€defendant€in€criminalÐ `° Ðproceedings,€the€perpetrator€shall€be€punished€with€a€minimum€term€of€imprisonmentÐ L œ Ðof€four€years.ððÐ8 ˆ` (#` (# ÐÌòò9óó/€€€Article€66€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code€states:€€ð ðA€person€acting€in€an€official€capacity€who€ill„Ð  ` Ðtreats,€insults€or€threatens€another€in€a€manner€degrading€to€his€human€dignity€shall€be€punished€withÐ ü L  Ða€term€of€imprisonment€of€three€months€to€three€years.ðð€€Similar€provisions€to€those€contained€inÐ è 8  Ðarticles€65€and€66€are€contained€in€articles€190€and€191€of€the€Criminal€Code€of€Yugoslavia€of€1976.Ð Ô$  ÐÌòò10óó/€€€According€to€OSCE,€the€Kosovo€Verification€Mission€had€frequent€contacts€with€the€SerbianÐ ¬ü  Ðauthorities,€police€commanders€and€members€of€the€judiciary€about€reports€of€torture€andÐ ˜è  Ðill-treatment.€€ð ðGenerally,€the€OSCE„KVM€was€given€assurances€that€all€cases€of€torture€andÐ „Ô  Ðill-treatment€would€be€followed€up€and€have€the€legally€prescribed€disciplinary€and€judicialÐ pÀ Ðconsequences€for€the€individual€officer€responsible.€€Such€action€ð8ð€would,€however,€only€be€possibleÐ \¬ Ðif€concrete€allegations€were€made€including€the€name€of€the€officer€and€the€time€and€location€of€theÐ H˜ Ðalleged€offence.€€When€the€OSCE„KVM€confronted€the€Chief€Prosecutor€of€Pec€and€the€PresidentÐ 4„ Ðof€the€District€Court€of€Pec€with€the€question€as€to€whether€allegations€of€torture€and€ill„treatmentÐ  p Ðby€police€would€be€actively€investigated€and€prosecuted,€the€Prosecutor€affirmed€this,€but€said€thatÐ  \ Ðhe€had€never€heard€of€such€a€case.€€Concrete€action€was€rendered€difficult€for€several€reasons:€€first,Ð øH ÐKosovo€Albanians,€or€other€citizens€for€that€matter,€who€had€become€victims€of€torture€or€ill„Ð ä4 Ðtreatment€by€the€police,€did€not€trust€the€State€institutions€to€protect€their€rights€and€interests€inÐ Ð  Ðpursuing€legal€redress€and€eventually€receiving€compensation.€€Second,€in€most€cases,€the€identity€ofÐ ¼  Ðthe€offenders€was€unknown€to€the€victims€and€the€cooperation€of€regular€police€officers€in€an€attemptÐ ¨ø Ðto€identify€potential€offenders€was€practically€non„existent.€€And€thirdly€even€if€the€individual,€mostÐ ”ä Ðoften€with€the€active€support€of€the€local€OSCE„KVM€office,€ð8ð€filed€a€complaint€with€the€localÐ €Ð Ðpolice€commander,€the€consequences€for€the€officer€who€had€abused€the€complainant€were€insufficientÐ l¼ Ðto€dissuade€him€from€repeating€the€crime€ð8ð.€€The€near€total€absence€of€a€response€by€the€judicialÐ X ¨ Ðauthorities€to€these€allegations€only€served€to€foster€a€sense€of€impunity€within€the€police€system,Ð D!” Ðencouraging€the€continuation€and€escalation€of€such€human€rights€violationsðð.€òòKosovo,€As€Seen,€AsÐ 0"€  ÐToldóó,€p.€52.Ð #l! ÐÌòò11óó/€€€The€State€Prosecutor€told€the€Committee€members€that€he€would€provide€them€with€statisticsÐ ô$D # Ðon€complaints€filed€under€article€65€of€the€Serbian€Criminal€Code.€€At€the€time€of€writing€the€presentÐ à%0!$ Ðreport,€those€statistics€had€not€been€provided.Ð Ì&"% ÐÌòò12óó/€€€HLC€provided€the€Committee€with€information€on€the€case€of€E.M.,€a€Muslim€from€Priboj€inÐ ¤(ô#' Ðthe€Sandjak€region€who€was€reportedly€taken€to€a€local€police€station€on€19€November€1999€andÐ )à$( Ðbeaten€for€several€hours€while€he€was€being€asked€about€a€person€he€did€not€know.€€On€29€DecemberÐ |*Ì%) Ð1999€HLC€filed€a€criminal€complaint€against€unidentified€officers€of€the€Priboj€police€station,€chargingÐ h+¸&* Ðthem€with€infliction€of€slight€bodily€harm.€€On€two€occasions€HLC€asked€the€municipal€prosecutorÐ T,¤'+ Ðto€disclose€the€identity€of€the€officers€and€bring€criminal€charges€against€them.€€The€Ô_ÔprosecutorÐ @-(, Ðresponded€that,€in€spite€of€two€requests,€the€Ô_ÔPribojÔ_Ô€police€authorities€had€not€provided€him€with€theÐ ° Ðinformation€required€to€identify€the€alleged€perpetrators.Ð œì ÐÌòò13óó/€€€Under€Serbian€labour€legislation,€a€person€sentenced€to€a€jail€term€of€up€to€six€months€may€beÐ tÄ Ðreinstated€in€the€position€he/she€previously€held.Ð `° ÐÌòò14óó/€€€The€case€of€Ô_ÔV.K.Ô_Ô€is€an€example€of€this€practice.€€Ô_ÔV.K.Ô_Ô€was€beaten€on€13€November€1996€byÐ 8 ˆ Ðofficers€of€the€Ô_ÔPancevoÔ_Ô€Police€Department,€as€a€result€of€which€he€suffered€brain€damage,€a€brokenÐ $ t Ðoccipital€bone,€a€broken€jaw€and€nose€and€irreparably€damaged€hearing.€€On€12€December€1996€heÐ  ` Ðfiled€a€complaint€accusing€two€police€officers€of€inflicting€severe€bodily€injuries.€€On€5€March€1997,Ð ü L  Ðthe€prosecutor€dropped€the€charges,€as€a€result€of€which€Ô_ÔV.K.Ô_Ô€undertook€private€prosecution.€€In€theÐ è 8  Ðcourse€of€2001,€12€hearings€were€scheduled€but€only€2€took€place.€€One€was€postponed€becauseÐ Ô$  Ðjudges€were€away€for€a€conference€and€nine€others€because€one€or€both€defendants€did€not€show€up.€Ð À  Ð(Helsinki€Committee€for€Human€Rights€in€Serbia,€òòHuman€Rights€and€Transition€„€Serbia€2001óó,€2002,Ð ¬ü  Ðpp.€63„64.)Ð ˜è  ÐÌòò15óó/€€€According€to€article€95€of€the€Criminal€Code€of€the€Federal€Republic€of€Yugoslavia,€crimesÐ pÀ Ðpunishable€by€a€prison€term€of€three€to€five€years€are€subject€to€a€statutory€limitation€of€five€years.Ð \¬ ÐÌòò16óó/€€€As€stated€on€several€occasions,€the€Committee€considers€that€torture€is€practised€systematicallyÐ 4„ Ðwhen€it€is€apparent€that€the€torture€cases€reported€have€not€occurred€fortuitously€in€a€particular€placeÐ  p Ðor€at€a€particular€time,€but€are€seen€to€be€habitual,€widespread€and€deliberate€in€at€least€a€considerableÐ  \ Ðpart€of€the€territory€of€the€country€in€question.€€Torture€may€in€fact€be€of€a€systematic€characterÐ øH Ðwithout€resulting€from€the€direct€intention€of€a€Government.€€It€may€be€the€consequence€of€factorsÐ ä4 Ðthat€the€Government€had€difficulty€in€controlling,€and€its€existence€may€indicate€a€discrepancyÐ Ð  Ðbetween€policy€as€determined€by€the€central€Government€and€its€implementation€by€the€localÐ ¼  Ðadministration.€€Inadequate€legislation€which€in€practice€makes€room€for€the€use€of€torture€may€alsoÐ ¨ø Ðadd€to€its€systematic€nature.Ð ”ä ÐÌòò17óó/€€€Created€by€decision€of€the€President€of€the€Republic€dated€29€March€2001.Ð l¼ ÐÌòò18óó/€€€Much€of€the€information€received€concerns€conduct€that€may€not€constitute€torture€under€articleÐ D!” Ð1€but€instead€may€fall€under€article€16€of€the€Convention€and,€therefore,€outside€the€scope€of€articleÐ 0"€  Ð20.Ð #l! Ðà  àà ` àà ¸ àÌòò19óó/€€€There€is€no€indication€of€the€types€of€conduct€involved.€€Ð ô$D # ÐÌòò€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€€óóÐ Ì&"% Ð