Established on 26 March 2013 in Belgrade by the National Preventive Mechanisms (NPMs) of South-East Europe (SEE), the SEE NPM Network now counts 11 members, including the NPM Slovenia, NPM Serbia, NPM Romania, NPM North Macedonia, NPM Montenegro, NPM Hungary, NPM Greece, NPM Croatia, NPM Bulgaria, NPM Albania as well as the NPM Austria and two observers, the NPM Kosovo and the Ombudsman of Bosnia Herzegovina.
On the occasion of its establishment in 2013 the representatives of the SEE NPMs, Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia and Serbia, in agreement with the Ombudsman from Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted the Declaration on Cooperation. This Declaration determines the main purpose of the SEE NPM Network of establishing greater cooperation and exchanging experiences, creating synergy between members, providing support and creating conditions for effective fulfilment of the NPM mandate specified in the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT).
The cooperation within the SEE NPM Network is developed through sharing knowledge, relevant documents and other information as well as through regular annual and thematic meetings, which are organised by one of its members. The first Network meeting, which took place in Ljubljana in May 2014, under the chair of Slovenia, was followed by various meetings covering different topics ranging from a medical workshop on “Monitoring of psychiatric establishments” initiated by Slovenia, up to a conference on “Specific needs of children in detention” held by North Macedonia. This year, in 2023, the Greek NPM is acting as chairman of the Network and organised a conference on “Monitoring mental health units in correctional facilities” from 1 – 2 June 2023.
If you would like to know more about the history of the SEE NPM Network, kindly find attached more details under South-East Europe (SEE) NPM Network.
Source: Office of the Ombudswoman Croatia