Due to the high public interest, the Ombudsman announces in advance the verification launched today, following the allegation of violence against a citizen within the premises of the Security Block.

Immediately after the alert, four assistant commissioners of the Ombudsman initially went to the QSUT, where the citizen's health condition did not allow for an interview. Then to the Security Block, where the violence is alleged to have occurred, to administer facts and testimonies from the personnel and other detainees. Upon the citizen's transfer to the Trauma Hospital, the group continued the investigation with him.

From the documentation administered so far, there is no data confirming the use of violence against him within the premises of the Security Block. It is confirmed in the meantime that the citizen has experienced several health crises, due to the illness he suffers from.

We emphasize that the same citizen was interviewed by our institution yesterday as well. As documented in his written testimony, during yesterday's interview, the citizen did not present any claim for the use of violence: neither during detention, nor during escort, nor during his stay at the police station or in the Security Block.

The verification continues. The institution has requested the security camera footage in the premises where the arrested persons are held and the full findings will be made public after their administration and analysis.

Meanwhile, referring to the medical documentation and repeated health crises, keeping the citizen in cell conditions constitutes a risk to his health and contradicts the standards of Article 3 of the ECHR. For this reason, the Ombudsman requests the prosecution body and the court to immediately evaluate the security measure and replace it with a measure compatible with his health condition.