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Babies born behind bars: Three mothers and their infants reside in Serbia's women's prison
🇷🇸 Serbia /Crime & Justice

Babies born behind bars: Three mothers and their infants reside in Serbia's women's prison

From N1 Serbia · (6m ago) Serbian Mixed tone

Translated from Serbian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Serbia's only women's prison in Požarevac is currently housing three mothers with their babies, who were born in late 2025 and early 2026.
  • These mothers have opted to keep their children with them until they reach the age of two, the maximum duration allowed by law.
  • The prison has a special, well-equipped section for mothers and infants, and the birth registration does not indicate the child was born during the mother's incarceration.

N1 Serbia reports on a unique and poignant situation unfolding within Serbia's sole women's correctional facility in Požarevac, where three infants are currently being raised behind bars. These newborns, born in late 2025 and early 2026, represent a stark reality for their mothers, who have chosen to exercise their legal right to keep their children with them until they turn two years old.

The facility has a dedicated section, colloquially known as the "maternity ward," which is reportedly well-equipped and designed to resemble a more natural environment for the children. The mothers are housed separately from the general inmate population. Importantly, the official birth certificates for these children do not mention that they were born during their mothers' incarceration, a measure intended to protect the child's future.

Osuđenice se porađaju u odgovarajućoj zdravstvenoj ustanovi, najčešće u Gradskoj bolnici u Požarevcu. U izvodu iz matične knjige rođenih nema podataka da je dete rođeno za vreme izdržavanja kazne majke

— Uprava za izvršenje krivičnih sankcijaExplaining the procedure for births and birth registration for incarcerated mothers.

From a Serbian perspective, this story highlights the complex interplay between the justice system and family life. While the law allows mothers to keep their children with them, the article implicitly raises questions about the long-term implications for the children's socialization and development. Experts cited in the piece note that while some countries allow mothers up to three years with their children in prison, many believe that after the age of two, children require broader social interaction than can be provided within prison walls. The decision by these mothers to keep their children with them, and the system's accommodation of this, underscores a compassionate approach within the correctional system, while also prompting reflection on the necessity of preparing these children for life outside the prison environment when their mothers' sentences are concluded.

Nakon porađaja, ukoliko osuđena žena želi da zadrži dete, smešta se zajedno sa detetom, kao što je već gore pomenuto, u posebne prostorije, odvojeno od drugih osuđenih žena. Zavod blagovremeno obaveštava nadležni organ starateljstva o podacima vezanim za trudnoću/porađaj osuđene žene, kao i drugim okolnostima bitnim za zaštitu prava i interesa deteta

— Uprava za izvršenje krivičnih sankcijaDetailing the process for mothers who choose to keep their babies in prison.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by N1 Serbia in Serbian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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