Author
The Foreigners Centre is under the authority of the Police whereas the Asylum Home is under that of the UOIM. Asylum seekers who are detained in the Asylum Home can move freely on the premises of the Asylum Home and have the same rights as other asylum seekers, except for leaving the premises.
Overall conditions
Both facilities are subject to unannounced visits by the National Preventive Mechanism instituted under the Optional Protocol to the United Nations Convention against Torture and implemented by the Office of the Ombudsperson in cooperation with representatives of the civil society.[1]
The Foreigners Centre is visited by the Ombudsperson approximately once per year. The centre is also occasionally visited by international monitoring bodies, including the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), which last visited it between 28 March and 4 April 2017.[2] The CPT did not detect any ill-treatment by the police in the Foreigners Centre. They criticised the fact that unaccompanied minors and families with children in the return procedure are regularly detained and recommended that unaccompanied minors are accommodated in an open or semi-open specialised establishment for minors. They also noted that detention of children with their parents should be a last resort.[3] CPT announced that it will conduct visits in Slovenia in 2024.[4]
In 2023, asylum seekers were not detained in large numbers. During the year, issues with detention conditions were not reported or detected by NGOs as in previous years[5]. The Ombudsperson did not visit the Foreigners centre in 2023, however it received 2 complaints on mistreatment and abuse by the police in the centre. In one case the Ombudsperson did not find any violations by the Police while one case is still being reviewed.[6]
Activities
Asylum seekers detained in the Asylum Home have the same rights as other accommodated asylum seekers and can therefore take part in all activities organised in the Asylum Home. In practice, they can also attend activities outside the Asylum Home provided that an official escorts them.
In the Foreigners Centre, detainees can access the recreational facilities for 2 hours per day. The recreational facilities are considered inadequate and one of the main shortcomings in terms of conditions in the centre is that outdoor exercise is only available in a small closed-off courtyard of the centre. The centre also holds a bigger and better-equipped playground with a view over the surrounding nature, yet detainees are usually not allowed access as constant supervision would be required to prevent escapes. Apart from table tennis in the main accommodation area, other options for indoor exercise are not provided.[7] In this context, the Ombudsperson noted in his report following his 2022 visit that the Foreigners Centre should allow residents to engage in more outdoor activities as this would improve their overall well-being.[8]
The centre has a small library, several television sets and an internet room which is available in accordance with a weekly schedule.[9]
The Foreigners Centre employs five social workers who are available to detainees every day from morning to evening and also organise various activities such as language courses, trainings on hygiene and disease prevention, and sport activities.[10]
During 2022, different activities were conducted by social workers including: sport activities, language classes, workshops, different courses, cultural events, etc. The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) visited the centre once every week and carried out different activities.[11]
Health care and special needs in detention
The health care provided to detainees is of the same level as for other asylum seekers. They have access to health care services provided in the Asylum Home or the Foreigners Centre and are entitled to urgent medical services. Psychological counselling is also provided to them under the same conditions as other asylum seekers. A psychiatrist, the same person working in the Asylum Home, visits the Foreigners Centre when required.
Vulnerable persons can be detained both in the Foreigners Centre and in the Asylum Home. Asylum seekers are detained in separate units of the Foreigners Centre according to their personal circumstances (i.e., families, unaccompanied children and other vulnerable persons). Vulnerability is identified by the centre staff upon arrival.
Statistical information on vulnerability of detained foreigners is not gathered systematically.
[1] For reports of monitoring visits, see Ombudsman, Varuh kot Državni preventivni mehanizem, available in Slovenian at: http://bit.ly/2G2n8Z8.
[2] Council of Europe, Council of Europe anti-torture Committee visits Slovenia, 6 April 2017, available at: http://bit.ly/2DniGSM.
[3] Report to the Slovenian Government on the visit to Slovenia carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT) from 28. March to 4. April 2017, available at: http://bit.ly/3JweXHp.
[4] Council of Europe, The Council of Europe anti-torture Committee announces periodic visits to eight countries in 2024, 29 March 2023, available at: https://bit.ly/43P0O0c.
[5] See AIDA, Country Report: Slovenia, 2022 Update, Conditions in the detention facilities, available at: https://bit.ly/3tfFvqf.
[6] Information provided by the Ombusperson, March 2024.
[7] Observation by the PIC.
[8] Varuh človekovih pravic, Državni preventivni mehanizem, Priporočila iz obiskov (preglednice), available at: http://bit.ly/3l6Xhs0.
[9] Observation by the PIC.
[10] Information provided by the Police, March 2024.
[11] Information provided by the Police, March 2024.