The CPT visit of 16 to 18 December was a continuation of its visit to Serbia which took place from 14 to 22 November 2024. The main aim of the visit was to examine the treatment of and safeguards afforded to children and adolescents deprived of their liberty in psychiatric facilities. To this end, the delegation paid targeted visits to two psychiatric institutions in Belgrade.
At the end of the visit, the delegation met with the Serbian authorities and presented their preliminary observations. The meeting was chaired by Tomislav Žigmanov, Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, with the participation of Zlatibor Lončar, Minister of Health. The Ministers were accompanied by Aleksandra Rašković, Chief of Staff, Snežana Trkulja, Assistant Minister, of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, Aleksandar Stefoski, State Secretary, along with Dragoljub Paunović, Vera Stojiljković and Tatjana Rajović, Acting Assistant Ministers, of Health, as well as other representatives of the two Ministries, the institutions visited and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Zoran Pašalić, Ombudsperson of Serbia, and Natasa Tanjević, Deputy Ombudsperson and Head of the National Preventive Mechanism, were also present.
The report following the two ad hoc visits to Serbia held in November and December 2024 is expected to be adopted by the CPT in March 2025 and will subsequently be communicated to the Serbian authorities.
The visit was carried out by Kristina Pardalos (Head of Delegation) and Slavica Dimitrievska, members of the CPT. They were supported by Leila Zhdanova of the CPT Secretariat and assisted by Birgit Völlm, Professor in Forensic Psychiatry, Germany.
The delegation visited the following establishments under the authority of the Ministry of Health:
- Clinic for Neurology and Psychiatry for Children, and
- Dr Laza Lazarevic psychiatric clinic: Unit for adolescents.
