From 1 to 2 June 2023, the first meeting of this year of the South Eastern European network for NPMs (National Preventive Mechanism) took place in Thessaloniki under the chairmanship of the NPM of Greece – The Greek Ombudsman. The meeting was dedicated to the topic of „Monitoring Mental Health Units in Correctional Facilities“ and brought together NPMs from Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia and Montenegro.
The key findings of this meeting were published in the form of conclusions:
1. Mental health conditions are prevalent in the prison population and pose significant challenges to the relevant authorities regarding the provision of equivalent medical treatment.
2. Prison psychiatric hospitals, psychiatric wards inside correctional facilities or forensic units inside hospitals are called to combine penal custody with individualized psychiatric care. Steps should be taken to ensure that security concerns do not prevail over medical treatment. Special attention should be given to juveniles and other persons facing double risk of vulnerability.
To read all conclusions, kindly click here: 1st meeting – Conclusions on Monitoring Mental Health Units in Correctional Facilities.
Source: The Greek NPM