Prishtinë, 23 February 2021 – Ombudsperson Institution published the Report related to the visits accomplished by National Preventive Mechanism of Torture (NPMT) to Centers of Asylum Seekers in Magura, Mitrovica and Vranidoll, conducted on 14, 19 and 25 January 2021.

During the visits, the NPM conducted group and individual interviews with asylum seekers. All asylum seekers expressed their appreciation for a very good and humane treatment by Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Kosovo Police officials. In addition, the NPM observed very friendly and interactive communication between asylum seekers and police officers as well as those of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In the Center for Asylum Seekers in Magura, the NPM noticed that the accommodation conditions are of a very good standard in terms of living space, lighting, cleanliness and heating. In general, families who sought international protection were accommodated in this center. NPM, after the visits conducted, deems that accommodation conditions in the Center for Asylum Seekers in Mitrovica and Vranidoll, are satisfactory for accommodation of asylum seekers, although they are not of the same standard as those in the Asylum Center in Magura.

Healthcare services, as one of the basic rights, are provided by public healthcare institutions, while psychological ones by local Non-Governmental Organizations. NPM has noted that asylum seekers are currently provided with free legal aid by the NGO Civil Rights Program Kosovo (CRPK) and the Free Legal Aid Agency.

The Report points out that there is no permanent staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at the Center of Asylum Seeker in Vranidoll, but they go only there on certain occasions. This situation hampers appropriate functioning of the Centers, but also of the Kosovo Police officers, who currently carry out security tasks in these Centers. The situation is much more favorable in the Center for Asylum Seekers in Magura, where, in addition to the permanent staff of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, an interpreter, a social worker and a medical doctor have been engaged by international organizations.

Through this Recommendation Report, NPM provided recommendation to the competent authorities to avoid the observed shortcomings, such as the lack of necessary staff to guarantee the smooth running of daily activities and recommended to the Kosovo Police, that police officers who perform security tasks in Asylum Centers maintain special protocols, in which, cases of force using or cases of incidents occurring between asylum seekers will be recorded.

The OI conducts visits to these Centers on a regular basis in order to assess whether fundamental rights of asylum seekers are being respected by authorities of the Republic of Kosovo, in accordance with the applicable legislation of the Republic of Kosovo and international human rights standards enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of Kosovo.

Read report here https://bit.ly/2P5vTdO