Compensation for Damages Due to Conditions in Prison Through the Practice of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia

Abstract

Zbog nečovječnih i ponižavajućih uvjeta smještaja u zatvorskim jedinicama država kao tuženik odgovara za štetu koju zatvorenici trpe, dok po pravomoćno dovršenim sudskim postupcima nezadovoljni podnositelji ustavnih tužbi osporavaju navedene presude pozivajući se na čl. 23. i 25. Ustava, a nerijetko ističući i čl. 35. Ustava. Ustavna zabrana zlostavljanja podrazumijeva da nitko ne smije biti podvrgnut bilo kakvu obliku zlostavljanja, da se sa svakim uhićenikom i osuđenikom mora postupati čovječno i poštivati njegovo dostojanstvo te da nitko ne smije biti podvrgnut mučenju ni nečovječnom ili ponižavajućem postupanju ili kazni. Sukladno praksi Europskog suda za ljudska prava Ustavni je sud recentnim odlukama ponovio da izraziti nedostatak osobnog prostora u zatvorskoj ćeliji ima veliku težinu kao čimbenik koji je potrebno uzeti u obzir u svrhu utvrđivanja jesu li opisani uvjeti izdržavanja zatvorske kazne ponižavajući sa stajališta čl. 3. Konvencije za zaštitu ljudskih prava i temeljnih sloboda i mogu li dovesti do povrede i kad se razmatraju zasebno i u vezi s drugim nedostacima.Due to the inhumane and humiliating conditions of accommodation in prison units, the State as the defendant is responsible for the damage suffered by prisoners, while according to legally concluded court proceedings, dissatisfied applicants of constitutional complaints challenge the aforementioned judgments by referring to Articles 23 and 25 of the Constitution, often citing Article 35 of the Constitution as well. The constitutional prohibition of ill-treatment implies that no one may be subjected to any form of ill-treatment, that every arrestee and convicted person must be treated humanely and with respect for their dignity, and that no one may be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In accordance with the practice of the European Court of Human Rights, the Constitutional Court has reiterated in recent decisions that the marked lack of personal space in a prison cell has great weight as a factor that needs to be taken into account for the purpose of determining whether the described conditions of serving a prison sentence are “degrading” from the point of view of Article 3 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and whether they can lead to a violation when considered separately and in connection with other deficiencie

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