KMDLNJ seeks to address fair prison demands in Dubrava prison

KMDLNJ through a media communiqué has reacted to prisoners in Dubrava who are employed and enjoy benefits they have gained with good behavior and work.

The convicts told the KMDLNi that they had reduced the rights they had previously had as if their annual home vacation (before it was a 21-day break and now they're putting it up for 7 days), as well as a lack of food package. Prison inmates of Dubrava, during KMDLNj visit, had three basic demands:

1. To return to previous well - earned benefits with good work and behavior, which at the same time would be encouraging for other inmates to behave and accept the program of resocialization.
2. They demanded that every prisoner who works and behaves well be pardoned three (3) months each year as his previous release.
3. They've demanded that the Condition Release be functional and that the beneficiaries of this release after they've suffered 2/3 of the sentence be more condemned.

“In the meantime we had the collapse of the government and the convicts' request was not addressed until the new government was formed, since a temporary solution for food packages was found. With the formation of the Haradinaj government's fair request of Dubrava prison convicts (and other prisons) has not yet been addressed, therefore the convicts resumed the strike by re-assuming the requirements (rights under KMDLNj) and now over 140 prisoners are on a working strike”, KMDLNJ says in response.

According to the KMDLNJ, the shelling of convicts in Dubrava poses many problems for the Kosovo Correcting Service, which does not bear responsibility for the situation created because it paralyses work in the prison kitchen, in maintaining cleanliness and other services that carry out convicts and are now on a working strike.

The Council for Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms supports the rights requirements of the convicts in the Dubrava Prison and requires that through the adoption of the opposing Law a space that would be acceptable to prisoners and their rights, as if Kosovo's Correcting Service has additional responsibilities and opportunities for dealing with persons who deserve to be beneficiaries of the claims.

The “those who have met the conditions have exploited their annual home vacation, not less than 18 working days. Prisoners working in the maintenance institutions managed by the USKK must enjoy the first rights with the Labour Law, exempting this amount of compensation”, the statement said.

KMDLNj will support the rights of persons deprived of freedom as long as objections and demands of prisoners are calm.

KMDLNj is against the transition of the situation and the moment the situation escalates, KMDLNj won't support these requirements.