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Slovenia: Council of Europe criticizes Alien Act

Cpt, positive developments prisons overcrowding

20 September, 12:35
(ANSA) - STRASBOURG - The Cpt, anti-torture committee of the Council of Europe, in its report on Slovenia says it "has misgivings about the new articles of the Aliens Act which would, under certain circumstances, deny foreign nationals the possibility to apply for asylum, without an individual assessment of their case".

In the document based on a visit conducted in the country last April, the Cpt also "criticizes the fact that unaccompanied minors and families with children awaiting deportation are still regularly detained at the Postojna Detention Centre for Foreigners". At the same time the Committee affirms that "there are positive developments as regards overcrowding in prisons, with particular progress achieved at Ljubljana Prison" and that "generally, it received very few allegations of ill-treatment of prisoners by staff".

Regarding the Aliens Act "the Committee expresses its doubts as to whether foreign nationals under this measure would in practice be effectively protected against refoulement" and therefore asks the Slovenian authorities to guarantee this protection. The Cpt also recommends that unaccompanied minors are no longer placed in the Postojna Detention Centre for Foreigners but are accommodated in an open, or semi-open, specialized establishment for juveniles. The detention in this centre should become "a last resort measure" also for families with children, says the Cpt. (ANSA).

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