Human Rights Ombudswoman Dr Simona Drenik Bavdek and Deputy Ombudsmen Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc and Ivan Šelih, together with their colleagues, met today with the Director General of the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (URSIKS), Denis Peršet, and his colleagues, as well as representatives of representative trade unions of employees in the judiciary – the President of the Trade Union of Workers in the Judiciary, Tomaž Virnik, and the President of the Trade Union of State Authorities of Slovenia, Frančišek Verk. They discussed the staffing situation in prison establishments and possible solutions to the shortage of prison officers and other staff in prison establishments.

The Human Rights Ombudsman (the Ombudsman) has been drawing attention to prison-related issues in the country for several years. Problems arise both when dealing with initiatives from prisoners and during visits to prison establishments within the framework of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). Staff shortages are reflected in the increased workload of employees, overtime work becoming the rule rather than the exception, and greater stress among staff, which affects both the provision of security and the exercise of prisoners’ rights.

It is particularly worrying that staff shortages are leading to the cancellation of escorts of prisoners to courts, healthcare institutions and other external institutions. According to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia, almost 3,000 hearings and trials were cancelled in 2025 due to the cancellation of escorts. In addition to the unacceptable prolongation of court proceedings, the cancellation of escorts also results in more difficult access to healthcare services for prisoners.

The Ombudsman supports the efforts of URSIKS and both trade unions to improve the situation of prison officers, enhance their professional standing and, in principle, conclude a separate collective agreement. Ombudswoman Dr Drenik Bavdek emphasises the need for further systemic measures to ensure a sufficient number of employees in the prison system, as this is crucial both for the safety of staff and for respect for the rights of prisoners, as well as for the smooth functioning of the judicial system. “We will continue to pay particular attention to developments in this area, especially with regard to the situation of women and minors in the prison system,” emphasises the Ombudswoman.

In a conversation with Denis Peršet, Director General of URSIKS, representatives of the Ombudsman also addressed the situation in the only women’s prison in Slovenia, located in Ig, which has become increasingly concerning over the past year. Particular attention was drawn to the treatment of prisoners with intellectual disabilities, which can seriously jeopardise their personal safety as well as their physical and mental integrity and may, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, reach the threshold of inhuman or degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Ombudsman has been drawing attention to this issue for several months through the National Preventive Mechanism and expects both swift individual solutions and systemic regulation of such situations.

Si rafforza il dialogo tra istituzioni e amministrazioni locali nel segno della tutela dei diritti dei cittadini. È stato infatti sottoscritto presso il Consiglio regionale del Lazio il Protocollo d’intesa tra il Difensore Civico della Regione Lazio e ANCI Lazio, con l’obiettivo di sviluppare una collaborazione stabile tra la difesa civica e i Comuni del territorio.

L’intesa punta a rafforzare il ruolo della difesa civica come strumento di garanzia e di mediazione tra cittadini e pubblica amministrazione, favorendo al tempo stesso una maggiore diffusione delle opportunità di tutela e di partecipazione democratica.

Alla firma del protocollo erano presenti numerosi rappresentanti istituzionali, tra cui il Presidente del Consiglio regionale del Lazio Antonello Aurigemma, la Segretaria Generale del Consiglio regionale Giosy Pierpaola Tomasello, Donato Robilotta, Direttore della Conferenza delle Assemblee legislative delle Regioni e delle Province autonome italiane, il Consigliere regionale Mario Ciarla, Daniele Sinibaldi, Presidente di ANCI Lazio e Sindaco di Rieti, Manuel Magliocchetti, componente del Direttivo di ANCI Lazio e Segretario generale di Federsanità Lazio, e Luca Masi, Segretario generale di ANCI Lazio.

Data protection, privacy and new technologies   Artificial intelligence and big data 

Justice, victims’ rights and judicial cooperation

When 19 March 2026 - 20 March 2026

Where Dublin, Ireland

Organised By European Network of Councils for the Judiciary

External event

FRA will present findings from its recent report 'Assessing High-risk Artificial Intelligence: Fundamental Rights Risks' during the Digital Justice Forum in Dublin that runs from 19 to 20 Dublin.

Read the report

The Forum is a working group of the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary. It brings together professionals who deal with the development of IT tools and strategies within the realm of administration of justice and other functions of the judiciary. 

The group comprises members of Councils for the Judiciary as well as professionals directly involved in creating and developing IT tools and strategies.

Read the full report here

El Defensor del Pueblo, Ángel Gabilondo, ha asistido este miércoles al acto conmemorativo del Día Europeo de las Víctimas del Terrorismo que organiza la Asociación de Víctimas del Terrorismo, en el Bosque del Recuerdo del Parque del Retiro de Madrid.

Este 11 de marzo de 2026 se cumplen 22 años del atentado perpetrado por terroristas yihadistas en los que 193 personas perdieron la vida y más de 2.000 resultaron heridas. El 11M fue elegido Día Europeo de las Víctimas del Terrorismo para recordar a las víctimas y expresar la solidaridad de la Unión Europea con ellas.

La adjunta primera del Defensor del Pueblo, Teresa Jiménez-Becerril, también ha asistido a este acto. Asimismo, Jiménez-Becerril visitó el martes, 10 de marzo, el nuevo lugar de homenaje a las víctimas de los atentados del 11 M, dentro del Espacio de Recogimiento de la estación de Atocha.

Por su parte, la adjunta segunda, Patricia Bárcena, acude hoy, 11 de marzo, a los actos conmemorativos del `Día Europeo de las Víctimas del Terrorismo y el XXII Aniversario del 11M´, organizado por la Asociación 11-M Afectados del Terrorismo, CCOO y UGT, y la Junta Municipal de Villa de Vallecas, en las estaciones de Atocha, por la mañana, y de Santa Eugenia, por la tarde.