Prisoners complain about bread and medicine, the minister's response comes

Through an open letter, 24 prisoners of Dubrava prison today have claimed to be lacking food, medicine, medical service, and inadequate treatment.

They have even said that the basics of food are missing from prison, where they have mentioned, among other things, the lack of drugs.

Prisoners at the Dubrava prison have invited government and nongovernmental organisations to take this centre seriously. While, an invitation has been extended to State Chief Prosecutor Alexander Lumez and Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri.

Regarding this letter, Indexline has contacted Justice Minister Abelard Tahiri, who has stated that anyone can rightly assume that life in a correctional centre is not even about life in freedom conditions but that the Ministry of Justice is paying special attention to all prisoners for their demands.

“In the first place, I want to confirm that the Kosovo Correcting Service with all its constituent components is among my six fundamental objectives as justice minister, and commitment to strengthening and modernising the actual functioning of this service further. I believe it has already been observed not only by the leaders of the correctional centers but also by the very persons who are in the suffering of punishment. You know that within these months at the head of the justice ministry, I have visited the correctional centres in progress, where I have talked closely with a considerable part of those suffering punishment, to get to know more closely the nature of the problems and challenges they face”, Tahiri said.

According to him, prisons generally present an environment where rights principles interact on one side and order and security on the other, which as such is not an easy environment to manage.

Everyone can rightly assume that life in a correctional center is not nearly like life under freedom. However, despite any challenge that may be faced, I am firmly determined that dealing with those in suffering punishment will be dignified treatment. As for the letter of people suffering punishment from the Dubrava Correcting Centre, I want to point out that I almost every day receive letters from prisoners that are being paid attention, while one who addresses nature problems what are mentioned there, which on the subject has aspects that are related to food standards and medicine supplies, is the first time that has been considered”, the minister has added to Tahiri.

Minister Tahiri has also said that a person suffering punishment for a 24-hour period, Kosovo costs 27 euros.

“In response to their demands, I have to stress that a person suffering punishment for a 24-hour period costs the Republic of Kosovo approximately 27 Euros. As far as the supply of trees and vegetables is concerned, their supply of good consumption has been reduced over a period due to lack of contractual obligations between the SKK and economic operators. However, I have been informed by the Correcting Service that this case has already been arranged and the supply will begin from this moon.

While in relation to the list of drugs on the essential list, it is a duty of the Ministry of Health, which at no moment is bypassing obligations to the SHKK, and that the supply with these drugs occurs similar to any citizen of the Republic of Kosovo”, has added Tahiri.

Tahiri has said, among other things, that despite the fact that services at the Kosovo Correcting Centre are receiving greater attention, yet his commitment in relation to the adequate treatment of those suffering punishment will not be listed and any rational discontent will have the right response.

It should be commemorated that prisoners in Dubrava had held a several-day strike, where they had the return of holiday days that had been reduced and demanding the return of access to food packages from abroad.

Despite their demand, it should be commemorated that the possibility of introducing illegal things to prison centres in Kosovo had increased and had become easier when food packages with various items were taken from abroad.

Most of the time, there were also persons arrested who tried to get narcotics or something into prison centers. Otherwise, the issue raised by prisoners remains to find solutions, as soon as it is expected that even prisoners will return weekends, which were cut short under law change.