"The rumoured allegations of mistreatment of a prisoner by officers in Hirtenberg prison, who ultimately died, are shocking. The investigation by the public prosecutor's office remains to be seen. However, some information known from the media describes aspects of a system failure that we have been pointing out for a long time. It would not have had to come to this if the Ombudsman Board's recommendations had been implemented," emphasises Gaby Schwarz, the Ombudsman responsible for the prison system.
"With such a severe mental illness, the person concerned was out of place in a prison. We regularly appeal for the necessary resources to be created to enable such inmates to receive care in psychiatric facilities," said the Ombudsperson. Furthermore, according to media reports, the man was held in a so-called "specially secured detention room", in which there is a concrete bed where he seriously injured himself. "For years, we have been recommending to the Ministry of Justice that the specially secured detention rooms be equipped to prevent self-harm or suicide attempts. These detention rooms must have a seating and lying area that can be used safely. Instead of concrete beds, we recommend cuboid beds made of hard foam. The tragic case of Hirtenberg shows that our recommendations were unfortunately not implemented. It is to be hoped that this sad event will lead to a rethink."
Ombudsperson Gaby Schwarz considers a second external review of the case, as announced by Justice Minister Anna Sporrer, to be very useful: "As an independent supervisory body of Parliament, the Ombudsman Board is available at any time with all its expertise."
"It wouldn't have had to come to this if the Ombudsman Board's recommendations had been implemented for years," criticises Ombudswoman Gaby Schwarz.