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OSCE Mission issues report on condition of Kosovo detention facilities

28 December 2010

PRISHTINE/PRISTINA, 29 December 2010 - Living conditions in Kosovo's detentions facilities are satisfactory, but some outstanding issues still need to be addressed by relevant institutions, according to a report released today by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo.

The report, entitled Conditions in Detention Facilities in Kosovo, assesses living conditions in detention facilities throughout Kosovo. It finds that the conditions are in general satisfactory. However, lack of space and overcrowding need to be resolved in a number of detention facilities. Other concerns include inadequate natural lighting and air circulation in some cells; toilets and showers in poor repair; and inadequate open-air exercise facilities at several detention centres.

The report is based on the Mission's monitoring activities during 2009 and 2010 and should serve as a tool to help relevant institutions remedy the identified weaknesses. It also commends the excellent co-operation of the Kosovo correctional service in carrying out detention monitoring activities.

"In general, the standards in Kosovo correctional service facilities are satisfactory. However, efforts should be made to ensure that the size of cells is sufficient for the number of detainees and meets international standards," said Susan Heintz, the Director of the OSCE Department for Human Rights and Communities.

"The local institutions should increase their efforts to establish a sustainable local detention monitoring mechanism. Such a mechanism would co-ordinate the efforts of the various local organizations and institutions working in the area of detention monitoring."

The OSCE is mandated with monitoring human rights and assessing the effectiveness of local institutions in preventing potential human rights violations. The Mission will conduct periodic re-assessments in order to measure changes and improvements to detention facilities in Kosovo. The Mission will also continue to support the creation of a local detention monitoring mechanism.