Detainees held at the Spuz Remand Prison have announced a new hunger strike unless the authorities respond to demands they submitted more than a year ago, related to overcrowded living conditions and the length of pre-trial detention. According to detainees, poor conditions in severely overcrowded units have become unsustainable.
The fact prisons have been running out of space is confirmed by the Administration for Enforcement of Criminal Sanctions (UIKS), which stated that there are currently 709 detainees held in remand facilities, far exceeding the total capacity of 462 places available at detention centres in Spuz and Bijelo Polje.
UIKS noted the situation would be significantly worse had emergency measures not been taken. As part of those measures, around 150 detainees were transferred to a short-term prison facility, whose capacity was expanded by 71 places. Additionally, capacities at the remand prison in Spuz and the prison in Bijelo Polje were increased by 60 places each, with around 100 detainees currently held in Bijelo Polje.
Despite these efforts, detainees continue to warn of inadequate living conditions, announcing a strike if their demands remain unmet. Their families and friends have also stated they would join protests in front of the prison gate in Spuz and the High Court in Podgorica.
Concerns over overcrowding and material conditions have also been raised by the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for the Prevention of Torture, operating under the Ombudsman institution. In several reports, the NPM warned that excessive overcrowding could amount to inhuman or degrading treatment and negatively affect all prison services.
The NPM reiterated findings of the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture, stressing that prisons housing more inmates than their designed capacity inevitably face a serious decline in living standards. It also recommended greater use of alternative sanctions to reduce pressure on detention facilities.
According to the 2024 Annual Penal Statistics Report of the Council of Europe, Montenegro ranks among European countries with the highest rate of pre-trial detention, with 164 prisoners per 100.000 inhabitants – well above the European average.
