Over 230 medical doctors and police officers from across Serbia received specialised training in May and June to strengthen the health protection of persons in police detention, in line with Council of Europe standards.

The one-day accredited sessions took place in Belgrade, Niš and Novi Sad, gathering general practitioners and emergency physicians who are often the first to medically examine detained persons.  Police officers from the same local communities also participated, recognising their important role in protecting health of persons in police detention.

The trainings were organised in response to concerns raised by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) regarding the shortcomings in the investigations of torture and other forms of ill-treatment. To help address these issues, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2024. The MoU standardises medical screening in police custody, thus enhancing procedural safeguards against ill-treatment, and aligning Serbia's practices with CoE standards. These trainings support the practical implementation of the MoU and are expected to improve the quality of medical reports as a critical asset in criminal investigations and improving their effectiveness.

Next steps include further developing of operating procedures to ensure consistent and coordinated medical care for persons in police detention.

Trainings were organised within the framework of the Action “Enhancing the human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Serbia”, as a part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.