The Special Rapporteur of the United Nations (UN) Nils Meltzer and the Vice-President of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Elina Štejnerta wrote to the Government of Montenegro regarding three cases of police torture which, the three participants of the so-called investigation. "bomb attacks" on the Grand bar and Duško Golubović's house were reported on May 26, May 28 and June 4, Human Rights Action (HRA) announced.
HRA said that with their (Jovan Grujičić, MB and Benjamin Mugoša's) consent, it forwarded the communication to the UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Nils Meltzer.
"Yesterday, October 19, the UN office published a letter that Mr. Meltzer, the Special Rapporteur on Torture, and Mrs. Elina Steinerte, the Vice-President of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, who joined him, sent to the Minister of Foreign Affairs two months ago regarding this case. In relation to all three, Meltzer and Steinerte expressed "serious concerns about the alleged arbitrary arrest and detention, violation of their rights to liberty and security, the use of coercive methods of intimidation, coercion and ill-treatment during interrogation that could lead to their cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment." action or punishment". It was further pointed out that, "if the allegations were confirmed, it would be a violation of international treaties on human rights and, accordingly, the obligations of Montenegro", HRA said.
They say that special concern was expressed due to the fact that Jovan Grujičić, "as a person with a psychosocial disability, was taken from a mental health institution and transferred to police custody without a medical examination, without a lawyer and appropriate procedural treatment, medication and psychosocial support, while being subjected to abuse. "
"They stated that such behavior is a violation of the rights of persons with disabilities, which are protected by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Montenegro ratified on November 2, 2009. This convention, specifically Articles 12,13,14,15,17, 25, 31, 31 ,XNUMX and XNUMX, states are required to ensure that persons with disabilities who are deprived of their liberty in any proceeding enjoy guarantees in accordance with international human rights standards, including guarantees for the prevention of abuse, the provision of reasonable and procedural treatment, access to justice, freedom and security, the protection of the integrity of the person, the right to health and the right of the person not to be subjected to torture and other ill-treatment, on an equal basis with others. of the law on respecting and protecting the innate dignity, physical and psychological integrity of all persons being questioned, including suspects, witnesses and victims. They appealed that all necessary interim measures be taken to stop the alleged violations and prevent their recurrence, and, in the event that the investigation supports or suggests that the allegations are true, to ensure that any person responsible for the alleged violations is held accountable."
HRA said that the Government of Montenegro had a deadline of 60 days to submit an answer to the questions sent by the UN special rapporteur on torture.
"On July 30 of this year, HRA submitted a complaint to the VDT and other members of the Prosecutor's Council regarding the ineffective investigation of torture reports by state prosecutors, to which we have not received an answer to date. Together with the Autonomous Civil Movement, on October 2, 2020, we publicly protested because of the ineffective investigation in which, apart from the questioning of the defendants, the expert examination of the injuries and the questioning of the father of one of the defendants, no other actions were taken," the HRA concluded.
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