The applicant, Milena Volk, is a Slovenian national who was born in 1966 and lives in Prem (Slovenia). The case concerns the suicide of Ms Volk’s son, a drug addict, in Dob prison where he was serving a three year and four month prison sentence for rape, grievous bodily harm and deprivation of liberty. She alleges in particular that the prison authorities were responsible for her son’s death as, despite her regular warnings about his worsening mental health, they had not transferred him to a psychiatric hospital where he would have been protected both from himself as well as repeated attacks from other prisoners. She also complains that the ensuing investigation into her son’s suicide was inadequate. She relies on Article 2 (right to life) and Article 3 (prohibition of torture and of inhuman or degrading treatment).
Citation: Volk v Slovenia (App no 62120/09) ECHR 13 December 2012
(citation from the official press-release prepared by the European Court of Human Rights)