The Republic of Srpska

Minister of the Interior of the Republic of Srpka, Mr. Dragan Lukač, met today with the representatives of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). The task of this Committee is to periodically submit reports on the behaviour of the police officers towards arrested persons. Compared to the previous visit and the report of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment from 2011 and 2012, it was emphasized that there had been significant progress and improvement of situation. Minister Lukač pointed out that maltreatment of arrested persons was prohibited by law, unprofessional and that it would be subject to serious sanctions. He added that the competent bodies should conduct investigations for all stated maltreatments in order to determine the responsibility. Additionally, Minister Lukač and the chair of this Committee also discussed material conditions, and Minister Lukač said that, in future and in accordance with the available funding, attention would be paid to additionally equipping the rooms for detaining the arrested persons. Finally, the chair of CPT, Mr. Mykola Gnatovskyy, said that it was his pleasure to state that there had been progress in the Republic of Srpska, and expressed his hope that the Republic of Srpska would continue such trend in future, as well.