Investigations are underway following the death of an inmate at the Hirtenberg Correctional Facility in Lower Austria on . The case has prompted scrutiny of the Austrian penal system’s handling of individuals with mental illness and has led to investigations against a dozen prison guards, suspected of bodily harm resulting in death under the abuse of official authority.
According to reports, the inmate, who suffered from a mental illness, was awaiting transfer to the psychiatric ward of a hospital. However, the transfer reportedly occurred without medical accompaniment – no doctor was present, and no sedative medication was administered. An official described the order as simply, “Take him away.” The officer stated that neither he nor his colleagues were trained in dealing with psychosis, telling “Falter” that “We can’t do something like that.”
The situation escalated in a cell within the Hirtenberg facility. The inmate reportedly hit his head on a concrete bed during the operation. While initial reports indicated blood came from the inmate’s mouth, the exact sequence of events leading to his injuries remains under investigation. The prisoner was subsequently transported to the Eisenstadt hospital, where he died later that evening.
Justice Minister Anna Sporrer acknowledged the need for improvement in health and psychiatric care within Austrian prisons, stating she became active “from the very beginning” to initiate changes. She emphasized that the prison bears responsibility for the conditions in which the inmate was held, stating, “The prison bears responsibility.” Specifically, she noted the inmate should not have been placed in the cell where the incident occurred.
Concerns have been raised regarding the facilities at Hirtenberg Correctional Institution. The Ombudsman has been warning since about deficiencies in specially secured detention rooms, specifically recommending against the use of concrete beds and advocating for safe seating and lying areas made of hard foam.
The Eisenstadt public prosecutor’s office is currently investigating twelve prison officers. While the officers were initially withdrawn from operational and command functions, they were not immediately suspended. However, an internal investigation report led to disciplinary proceedings against two additional officials, with one of those officials subsequently suspended as of .
In response to the incident, Minister Sporrer has commissioned a five-member independent expert group to examine the penal system for systemic deficiencies in the care of mentally impaired individuals, whether housed in conventional prisons or forensic-therapeutic centers (FTZ). The commission, led by Wolfgang Gratz, is expected to deliver a final report by the end of June .
The commission’s work will encompass a broad review, including organizational and technical issues, evaluation of regulations and procedures (including duty roster design), and analysis of training, education, and command structures for prison guards. The application of command and coercive force will be thoroughly examined, as will medical care and structural conditions within correctional facilities. A key focus will be on “how personnel and other resources can be intelligently linked,” according to Gratz.
The commission includes Vienna criminal law professor Ingeborg Zerbes, psychologist Gunda Wössner, Vienna lawyer specializing in human rights and fundamental rights protection Wilfried Embacher, and Katrin Skala, chief physician of the Curatorium for Psychosocial Services in Vienna. Minister Sporrer and Friedrich Alexander Koenig, head of the Directorate General for Penal System and Detention Measures, have assured a “complete and transparent clarification” of the events surrounding the inmate’s death.
Norbert Dürnberger, chairman of the prison guard union, cautioned against prejudgment of the officers involved, stating it is “completely unacceptable that the integrity of our colleagues is massively damaged based on speculation.” He also noted the increasing aggression faced by officers and emphasized the necessity of professional equipment for their safety.
