Massimo rispetto delle regole e delle disposizioni attivate dall’amministrazione penitenziaria. Garantiti distanziamento, igienizzazione, dpi e operatori sanitari dedicati al compito specifico

Sopralluogo del Garante dei diritti, Andrea Nobili, presso gli istituti penitenziari di Montacuto e Barcaglione per una verifica della situazione complessiva, anche alla luce della ripresa dei colloqui tra detenuti e familiari, così come previsto dalla Fase 2 dell’emergenza Coronavirus.

“Quella di poter riattivare i rapporti diretti con i propri congiunti – spiega Nobili – era una delle principali esigenze che gli stessi detenuti hanno rappresentato nel corso dei colloqui che in questi mesi abbiamo svolto in via telematica. Ovviamente tutto ora avviene nel massimo rispetto delle regole e delle disposizioni attivate dall’amministrazione penitenziaria”.

Nel corso della visita il Garante ha potuto verificare che è garantito il necessario distanziamento, si procede al controllo della temperatura con il termoscanner, i luoghi degli incontri sono forniti di materiale igienizzante e di dpi (Dispositivi per la protezione individuale). Oltre a questo sono presenti anche operatori sanitari dedicati a verificare il corretto svolgimento delle procedure. “Non possiamo che ritenerci soddisfatti – aggiunge – di come la seconda fase dell’emergenza sia stata messa in atto nei nostri istituti penitenziari”.

In questi mesi l’attività di monitoraggio del Garante non si è mai interrotta e grazie all’utilizzo del mezzo telematico sono stati tenuti rapporti costanti sia con i vertici degli stessi istituti, sia con i detenuti che hanno potuto effettuare i previsti colloqui con l’Autorità regionale di garanzia. Nei prossimi giorni Nobili farà visita ad altre strutture presenti sul territorio regionale.

A.Is.

Im Jahr 2019 wandten sich rund 16.600 Menschen mit einem Anliegen an die Volksanwaltschaft. Das bedeutet, dass durchschnittlich 67 Beschwerden pro Arbeitstag einlangten. In 48 % aller Beschwerdefälle veranlasste die Volksanwaltschaft eine detaillierte Überprüfung. Insgesamt wurden 8.016 Prüfverfahren eingeleitet. Bei 4.051 Beschwerden gab es keine hinreichenden Anhaltspunkte für einen Missstand in der Verwaltung, weshalb kein Prüfverfahren eingeleitet wurde. In diesen Fällen unterstützte die Volksanwaltschaft die Betroffenen mit Informationen zur Rechtslage und allgemeinen Auskünften. 4.574 Beschwerden fielen nicht in die Zuständigkeit der Volksanwaltschaft. Auch in diesen Fällen versuchte sie zu helfen, indem sie den Kontakt zu anderen Behörden herstellte oder über weiterführende Beratungsangebote informierte.

Beschwerdeaufkommen im Bereich öffentliche Verwaltung

Rund 29 % aller Prüfverfahren (1.464) betrafen den Bereich Arbeit, Soziales und Gesundheit. Die Beschwerden bezogen sich insbesondere auf Mängel bei der Pflegegeldeinstufung sowie Probleme rund um die Pensionszuerkennung und das Arbeitslosengeld. Unverändert hoch ist das Beschwerdeaufkommen von Menschen mit Behinderung.

Beschwerden über den Justizbereich stehen mit 1.111 Prüfverfahren (rund 22 % aller Verfahren) an zweiter Stelle Diese betrafen die Justizverwaltung, den Strafvollzug und die Prüfung von Verfahrensverzögerungen. Gegenüber dem Vorjahr ist die Anzahl der Beschwerden um knapp 19 % gestiegen. Beanstandet wurden insbesondere die Dauer von Gerichtsverfahren und Verfahren der Staatsanwaltschaften sowie der Strafvollzug.

1.011 Prüfverfahren wurden im Bereich Innere Sicherheit eingeleitet (rund 20 % aller Verfahren). Die Beschwerden bezogen sich in einem erheblichen Ausmaß auf das Fremden- und Asylrecht sowie die Polizei. Tendenziell ist festzustellen, dass die Anzahl der Prüfverfahren zur Dauer der Asylverfahren gegenüber den Vorjahren rückläufig ist. Diese Entwicklung korrespondiert mit dem deutlichen Rückgang der Asylanträge und dem Abbau der offenen Asylverfahren.

Neben der Bundesverwaltung kontrolliert die Volksanwaltschaft auch die gesamte Landes- und Gemeindeverwaltung in sieben Bundesländern (ausgenommen Tirol und Vorarlberg). Im Berichtsjahr führte die Volksanwaltschaft insgesamt 2.917 Prüfverfahren in der Landes- und Gemeindeverwaltung durch. Inhaltlich betrafen die meisten Beschwerden das Sozialwesen (27,5 %), insbesondere die Mindestsicherung, die Jugendwohlfahrt und (...)

The Ararteko (Basque Ombudsperson), Manuel Lezertua, has received numerous complaints and consultations regarding the COVID-19 crisis. Both by email (arartekoa@ararteko.eus) and over the telephone (945 135 118), the public has raised various issues involving, the situations they are suffering from in the present situation, the action the Basque public administration has taken vis-à-vis the coronavirus pandemic, and the reach of the measures adopted in the application of the State of Alarm.
 
The following provides an account of some of the Ararteko’s interventions.
 
 
Health
 
From the very time the State of Alarm was declared to manage the health crisis triggered by COVID-19, the Ararteko has shared the public’s concern about the way in which the Basque health system has tackled it.  
 
The problem of health professionals’ lack of equipment and the lack of diagnostic tests were the issues most often raised by those turning to this institution since the State of Alarm was declared. While the Ararteko is aware of statements made by persons in positions of public responsibility insisting on the roll-out of all sorts of initiatives to solve both of these problems, it deemed it necessary to take an interest in the Basque health administration’s expectations regarding both of these issues. 
 
Another issue raised by some health professionals and their family members was concern about the risk involved in sharing living quarters. This problem appears to have been properly tackled by offering accommodation so that the health professionals who so desire can refrain from going to their homes.
 
The Ararteko also has made the situation that those suffering from grave pathologies other than COVID-19 known to the Osakidetza (Basque Regional health body). Due to the measures adopted to confront the pandemic, the continuation of treatment for these patients is at risk.
 
 
The Elderly and Dependent Persons
 
The elderly and dependent persons have always been priority groups for the Ararteko. This holds even more true with the advent of the health crisis we are currently immersed in as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which is hitting these groups so hard.
Of all of them, those residing in nursing homes, the vast majority of whom fall under recognised degrees of dependency II and III, are, in all likelihood, the most vulnerable. In line with this level of risk, those responsible for managing these residential services have been put in a position of having to establish severe levels of confinement for their residents isolating them in their rooms and restricting visits other than from persons professionally related to the centres. Despite the extraordinary measures adopted, it proved impossible to prevent COVID-19 from considerably affecting these nursing homes and assistance centres analogously to how this segment of the population has been affected in general.
 
In light of this, the Ararteko has attempted to provide ongoing monitoring of the situation in these resources in order to ascertain the measures taken to facilitate the residents’ communication with their family members and also the protocols followed to inform family members of the specific situation of those affected by the coronavirus. It also had taken an interest in coronavirus testing among both residents and personnel in these residences and the isolation measures implemented for those infected. 
 
Certain persons have expressed indignation to the Ararteko because of the imposition of forcibly transferring their mothers and the rest of the residents to another nursing home in a different town, a decision taken in a matter of a few hours. Furthermore, they manifested their angst over not receiving any news about their mothers after the transfer.
 
Aware of the fact that coronavirus-triggered deaths of elderly persons in residences  (...)

The Commissioner continues to fulfil his tasks under his various mandates during the COVID-19 crisis by way of personal inspections.

Using his general fundamental rights protection and other specific mandates (as OPCAT National Preventive Mechanism, his mandate in the newly acquired area of police complaints handling, as well as the ones pertaining to the protection of child rights and the rights of disabled persons, etc.), the Commissioner has carried out so far 20 on-site visits at different locations in order to observe and ensure that the rights of the most vulnerable groups of society – children, disabled persons, persons deprived of their liberty –, and all citizens and other nationals coming into contact with law enforcement agencies and other public actors are respected.

The Commissioner has requested information from the Operational Group responsible for the containment of the coronavirus infection, the Hungarian Prison Service Headquarters, the National Police Headquarters, the Ministry of Human Capacities, the Hungarian Directorate-General for Social Affairs and Child Protection concerning the special procedures they have put in place in relation to the COVID-19 crisis. The Commissioner also inquired about the technical conditions for ensuring confidential remote communication between persons deprived of their liberty and the staff members of the NPM. The Commissioner requested the authorities to designate a contact person who would be available on short notice and could provide information about the setting-up of new and temporary places of detention, such as home quarantines. Furthermore, in line with the SPT Advice (CAT/OP/9) on compulsory quarantine for coronavirus, the CFR has visited several home quarantines.

To date the Commissioner has visited the following child protection facilities, care homes for people living with disabilities, penitentiary institutions, places of detention, strategically important police or military centres, and border crossing points:

• 14 April, Ipolyság-Parassapuszta Border Crossing Point
• 14 April, Hungarian National Police Headquarters
• 15 April, Záhony-Čop Border Crossing Point
• 15 April, Sátoraljaújhely Strict and Medium Regime Prison
• 15 April, Sátoraljaújhely Border Crossing Point
• 16 April, Kiskunhalas National Prison and Mobile Epidemic Hospital
• 16 April, Tompa-Kelebia Border Crossing Point
• 17 April, Szentendre Police Station and home quarantines
• 17 April, Centre of the COVID-19 Operational Group
• 22 April, Bezerédj – Castle Therapy Foundation’s Special Home for Children in Szedres
• 22 April, 86th Military Air Base of the Hungarian Army in Szolnok
• 23 April, Letenye Border Crossing Point
• 23 April, Fertőrákos Border Crossing Point
• 23 April, Home for Mentally Disabled Persons in Kéthely
• 23 April, Hegyeshalom Border Crossing Point
• 24 April, two group home units of the Veszprém County Children’s Home Centre
• 29 April, Nagykanizsa Reformatory of the Ministry of Human Capacities
• 06 May, Homes for Disabled Persons in Szerep-Hosszúhát

• 06 May, Homes for Disabled Persons Komádi

• 07 May, Martonvásár Police Station of Gárdony Police Department

• 07 May, Homes for Disabled Persons in Polgárdi-Tekerespuszta

 For video reports on the above-mentioned visits, check out our Facebook and Instagram pages. For written reports, visit the dedicated news section of our homepage.