Anarchists allege prison abuse

Citizens' Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic has notified the prosecution that two anarchists claim they had been abused and humiliated while in court custody. The pair, identified in Jankovic's statement as I.S. and R.T., spent almost six months in custody together with four others, accused of committing an act of international terrorism when they threw firebombs at the Greek embassy in Belgrade last summer. Anarchists allege prison abuse All six are members of the Anarcho-Syndical Initiative (ASI). In order to investigate the claims, Deputy Ombudsman for the Rights of Prisoners Milos Jankovic performed with his coworkers an unannounced, extraordinary control visit to the Belgrade District Prison on February 12. The ombudsman’s team, with an appropriate cooperation of the prison management, checked the dormitories where the six were detained, and spoke to them, the statement reads. During the conversation, they stated detailed allegations about some guards' use of excessive force, which they said abused and humiliated them. It was concluded that omissions in accommodation conditions did not come about as a result of special discrimination toward the six anarchists. There are currently more than 11,000 prisoners and detainees in Serbian prisons, while there is only room for about 6,000 people, and it is necessary to start with urgent expansions of prison capacities without further delay, the report said.

Anarchists allege prison abuse

All six are members of the Anarcho-Syndical Initiative (ASI).

In order to investigate the claims, Deputy Ombudsman for the Rights of Prisoners Miloš Janković performed with his coworkers an unannounced, extraordinary control visit to the Belgrade District Prison on February 12.

The ombudsman’s team, with an appropriate cooperation of the prison management, checked the dormitories where the six were detained, and spoke to them, the statement reads.

During the conversation, they stated detailed allegations about some guards' use of excessive force, which they said abused and humiliated them.

It was concluded that omissions in accommodation conditions did not come about as a result of special discrimination toward the six anarchists.

There are currently more than 11,000 prisoners and detainees in Serbian prisons, while there is only room for about 6,000 people, and it is necessary to start with urgent expansions of prison capacities without further delay, the report said.