Recommendations of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia, Sasa Jankovic, about the asylum seekers
By the Law Amending of the Law on Ratification of the Optional Protocol with the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment it is prescribed that the Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia performs duties of the National mechanism for the prevention of torture.
During 2012, the National mechanism for the prevention of torture (NPM) has dedicated attention on the treatment of the competent authorities towards those who have expressed an intention to seek asylum in the Republic of Serbia and that on this basis have the right to accommodation in the asylum centers.
Ombudsman of the Republic of Serbia - Sasa Jankovic
During the same year, the NPM has conducted 2 visits to the Asylum Centre in Bogovadja, which is under the jurisdiction of the Commissariat for Refugees and Migration. Certain deficiencies in the treatment of the asylum seekers were noticed during these visits. Namely, during the visit to the Centre in August 2012, in the courtyard of the Centre were found the families with small children who could not be accommodated in the Center because of lack of the accommodation facilities.
After the visit, the Ombudsman has compiled recommendations addressed to the Asylum Centre in Bogovadja:
• In cooperation with the Commissariat for Refugees, the Asylum Centre in Bogovadja needs to provide the adequate accommodation and other living conditions for all asylum seekers who applied for accommodation at the Centre.
• The Asylum Centre in Bogovadja must stop with the practice of "keeping" rooms / beds for asylum seekers who have gone to the announced absence of several days.
• Use of the free rooms or beds that belong to the asylum seekers who have gone on the announced absence will be given to asylum seekers who are on the waiting list for the accommodation.
• Asylum seekers who return to the Centre after the reported absence will be provided accommodation to the Centre in accordance with the available accommodation capacity of the Center and the current waiting list for accommodation.
• Officials of the Asylum Centre in Bogovadja will not hold / confiscate the original documents of the confirmation of the expressed intention to seek asylum from the asylum seekers that are issued by the Ministry of the Interior.
• Officials of the Asylum Centre in Bogovadja will provide the conditions for performing medical examinations and provide the necessary health care to all the asylum seekers who applied for accommodation, paying special attention to the health care of the children.
• Asylum Centre in Bogovadja will submit a daily reports to the Commissariat for Refugees about the number of asylum seekers who came for accommodation in the Center, but who can encounter on a potential problem of lack of available capacity.
• In the Asylum Centre in Bogovadja will be form a book of records of the special events that will contain a basic information about the event (date, hour, description, participants, effects ...) and measures that were taken on that occasion.
• The Asylum Center will provide the daily reports on the special events to the Commissariat for Refugees.