CASE OF ŠABIĆ v. SLOVENIA
Violation of Article 3 - Prohibition of torture (Article 3 - Degrading treatment;Inhuman treatment) (Substantive aspect);Violation of Article 13 - Right to an effective remedy (Article 13 - Effective remedy)
Ann Power-Forde;Helena Jäderblom
5. The applicant was born in 1963 and lives in Novo mesto. 6. The applicant served his prison sentence in the period between 24 November 2008 and 25 March 2010, in the semi-open and closed sections of Ljubljana prison as well as in the open section Ig, Ljubljana prison (the open section). 7. From 24 November 2008 to 22 January 2009 and from 15 July 2009 to 10 August 2009 he was held in the closed section. From 24 November 2008 to 22 January 2009 he was held in cell 3 (third floor) measuring 18 square metres (including a separate 1.72 square metre sanitary facility). From 15 July 2009 to 16 July 2009 he was held in cell 6 (third floor) measuring 18 square metres (including a separate 1.72 square metre sanitary facility). From 16 July 2009 to 10 August 2009 he was held in cell 4 (third floor) measuring 18 square metres (including a separate 1.72 square metre sanitary facility). 8. From 23 January 2009 to 12 July 2009 and from 10 August 2009 to 16 November 2009 he was held in the semi-open section. From 23 January 2009 to 12 July 2009 he was held in cell 138 (third floor) measuring 18.6 square metres (including a separate 1.72 square metre sanitary facility). From 10 August 2009 to 16 November 2009 he was held in cell 145 (third floor) measuring 18.8 square metres (including a separate 1.72 square metre sanitary facility). 9. All the cells in the closed and semi-open sections contained, apart from the furniture, five sleeping places (two bunk beds and one single bed). According to the applicant, five prisoners were being held in each of the cells during his detention. The Government, however, submitted that the number varied between four and five. Each cell had one 107 x 110 cm double casement window, which the prisoners could freely open or close. 10. As regards the general characteristics of the cells in the closed and semi-open sections, material conditions inside the cells, sanitary conditions and health care, see the judgment in Štrucl and Others v. Slovenia, nos. 5903/10, 6003/10 and 6544/10, §§ 21 to 32, 20 October 2011. 11. As to the out-of-cell time in the closed section, the Court found in the aforementioned judgment that sentenced prisoners in the closed section of the prison were locked up in their cells and were only able to leave them if they applied for certain activities, most of which were to take place in the recreation room. There was, however, only one 50square-metre recreation room per floor, which was to be used by ten inmates at most (see Štrucl and Others, § 86). 12. As to the out-of-cell time in the semi-open section, the Government submitted that the cell doors in the semi-open section of the prison were unlocked, except from 9.45 p.m. (on Fridays, Saturdays and before holidays from midnight) until 6.00 a.m. (on Saturdays, Sundays and during holidays until 8.30 a.m.). During this time prisoners could move freely in the corridor (35.7 square metres), living quarters of co-prisoners or in the indoor or outdoor exercise areas, in accordance with prison rules. The Government contended that this regime had been in place for several years. 13. From 12 July 2009 to 15 July 2009 and from 16 November 2009 to 25 March 2010 the applicant was held in the open section in cell 2 measuring 40 square metres, which contained six sleeping places. The Government submitted that four prisoners were held in that cell during the applicant’s detention. On 15 July 2009, he was transferred back to the closed section on the ground of abuse of a more liberal prison regime in the open section. 14. In the open section cells were open twenty-four hours per day and prisoners could, except when sleeping, move around freely, inside the open section (in a dining room, classroom, recreation room) and in outdoor areas (a park and sports ground). Further, the prisoners were allowed to exercise for four hours per day, they could do shopping in a shop outside the prison, their visits were unsupervised and their correspondence with people from outside the prison and the use of a telephone were not limited and supervised. The open section had a capacity for twenty seven prisoners in five cells. The prisoners shared sanitary facilities with five showers, five washbasins in the lavatory, three toilets on the ground floor and four toilets on the first floor of the section and a laundry room with a washing machine and a drier, which prisoners could freely use. Prisoners in the open section were also entitled to unsupervised visits outside prison for five hours during weekends, unsupervised leave and annual leave if working in Ljubljana prison. 15. During his imprisonment the applicant had twenty five consultations with a general practitioner and visited a dentist on two occasions. He never requested treatment by a psychiatrist. 16. As regards the cell temperature, the data provided by the Government showed that the average temperature in the cells in the late afternoon (5- 5.30 p.m.) in the second half of July and August 2009 had been approximately 28oC, exceeding 30oC on seven days.