Prishtinë, April 16, 2019 – On occasion of closing of the project “Strengthening of National Preventive Mechanism”, financed by the Council of Europe, Governments of Swiss and Norway, and implemented by Council of Europe, a closing Conference took place, in which all relevant institutions of Republic of Kosovo participated.

National Preventive Mechanism against Torture (NPMT) was established by Ombudsperson’s decision on January 14, 2016, upon adoption of the Law 05/L-019 on Ombudsperson and its functioning within the Ombudsperson Institution.

Within the given project, the NPMT went through intensive training conducted by European Committee experts for the Prevention of Torture related to monitoring of all places where persons deprived of their liberty are held. The project included many international consultants, current and former members, as well as experts from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), who, in a very effective manner updated NPMT in applying relevant international standards as well as of European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in monitoring places of deprivation of liberty.

Opening of the Conference was conducted by Mr. Daniel Schmidt, Head of the Department for South-East Europe and Turkey – National Division for implementation of human rights of Council of Europe, who evaluated that visits, reports and recommendations provided by the NPMT are in full compliance with standards set by the European Committee on Prevention of Torture, considering the project very successful.

Additionally, results achieved, the number of visits, the recommendations submitted to responsible authorities as well as other aspects of NPMT functioning within the scope of Ombudsperson Institution, were highly prized on this occasion. .

In his speech the Ombudsperson, Mr. Hilmi Jashari expressed his gratitude to the Council of Europe, to the Embassies of Swiss and Norway for the support provided to the Ombudsperson Institution in strengthening the NPMT, which is being evaluated by experts of European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, as most successful Mechanism in Balkan area.

Further, Ambassadors of Swiss and Norway highly evaluated the work performed by the Ombudsperson and NPMT.

The Conference was honored with the presence of Mr. Milolay Gnatovsky, the President of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, who exposed satisfaction with the fact that from Committee’s experts he had received very positive evaluations about the work accomplished by NPMT. He also spoke about other aspects of functioning of such mechanisms, such as operational independence, cooperation with competent bodies, and follow-up of implementation of recommendations.

By the end of his speech Mr. Gnatovsky, pointed out the importance of ongoing visits by NPMT in all places of deprivation of liberty, including psychiatric wards and those of social care.

Today’s Conference will continue with other sessions, in the course of which monitoring of places of deprivation of liberty in the Republic of Kosovo will be reviewed.

The conference is organized with the aim to disclose project’s results and achievements as well as to discuss further actions, and at the same time it provided good opportunity to mark 70 Anniversary of Council of Europe.