Within Skopje prison: Psychological, Physical, and Corruption Maltreme

I.A. (For security reasons he did not want to be identified, but his identity is known for editing) about 40 years old, serving a 13-year prison sentence, says the conduct of prison employees is inhuman, while conditions where they suffer the sentence are catastrophic.

“Gardians behave like strays, their behavior is catastrophic. Psychological barriers have stopped, we have cases of physical assault, and we have nowhere to complain. There's been a concrete case for me too, I've asked the ombudsman for help, but he hasn't even come to contact me. I had a problem with a jailer who attacked me while I was sentenced, sent into solitary confinement, although I have health problems”, says this prisoner, as he further describes prison conditions as very serious, lack of basics, poor food, and drinking water.

He says the worst prisoners had during the pandemic, since they were not even offered basic health services.

We've been complaining, asking for help from the outside, but no one's taken over. Those who have proved positive have been kept in solitary rooms and sometimes offered some paracetamol and nothing else. God willing there were no victims, since as far as prison doctors were concerned, nothing was undertaken by”, says prisoner with initials I. A, who is serving the sentence at Idrizovo prison.

Even journalist Tomislav Kezhalovski, former prisoner, reports to Radio Free Europe the state of prison, which, according to him, has not changed at all since he remained in prison in 2013.

Nothing has changed there in education or the professional level of employees. I had psychic violence from prison employees even though my case had taken international proportions. When I was being subjected to psychic violence, imagine what could happen to other prisoners. Corruption is also present. To have a phone or a more comfortable system, surely you have to bribe”, Kezhalovski says.

That the situation in northern Macedonia prisons -- in particular in Idrizovo's -- is serious, the latest European Council report on the prison situation, published on May 11th, also speaks.

Prisons in northern Macedonia, according to the report, are filled with corrupt staff, while prisoners are constantly mistreated, while authorities have failed to improve structural shortcomings within the prison system in the country.

“Manwebs especially have to do with the lack of a professional approach to managing complex situations, managing and poor staff performance, low staff levels, poor quality of health care offered to prisoners, lack of proper regime, violence among prisoners, poor material conditions and political corruption of personnel, particularly in Idrizova prison” is said in a part of the report.

The report highlights the large presence of corruption among prison employees who treat prisoners against various payments to accommodate them in better environments.

The serious situation in northern Macedonia's prisons is also discussed in the Ombudsman's report, but the 2020 report refers to lowering torture and complaints about nonprofessional behavior in prisons.

The report also speaks of aspects of the exercise of physical violence, which, based on the attitudes of institutions, has to do <x0 with violations of order and discipline in the institution or when prisoners have not respected or rejected the orders of official persons”.

The ombudsman, said to report, has taken steps to investigate all remarks and complaints filed over the competencies of official persons.

Ombudsman Naser Zyber tells Radio Free Europe that disturbing are the poor conditions in prisons.

“The situation in northern Macedonia's prisons is irrevocable. There's a shortage of water, cleanliness, hygiene, quality and quantity of food. In some cases, there is also a lack of space for deployment... the most pronounced problem is the state of health treatment for convicted persons. Some of the prisons have medical teams, but they are insufficient, but in some of the prisons there are not at all physician employed”, says Ombudsman Naser Zyberi.

Asked to comment on criticism of the prison situation, the Directorate of Prisons, in a written response to Radio Free Europe, acknowledges the difficult situation in prisons, but does not comment on the criticism of violence against prisoners and the presence of corruption among prison officials.

“We are fully aware of the problems facing the prison system and aimed at improving the living conditions of the convicts, within the framework of the Penitentiary Reconstruction Project, we will continue with the construction of new facilities, and to that end, financial resources of around 31.8m euros have been provided. Given the dynamics with which previous buildings were built, we expect to fully realise the second phase, meaning improving conditions for staying in the Idrizovo prison and in prisons in other cities”, the Directorate of Prisons' written answer is said.

Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, following parliamentary elections in July 2020, had pledged deep reforms across the country, including improved prison conditions and fighting corruption recorded in all international institutions' reports.